Through Dimensions
by Luckylily
Summary: Dawn ends up in Middle Earth, courtesy of a Hell Goddess, Rating has been changed because of nudity and swearing, and I really don't want to offend anyone, so you have been warned! R&R!
1. How

Title: Through Dimensions  
  
Author: Me, Lily  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters in this fic, *sigh*  
  
Summary: Dawn ends up in Middle Earth, courtesy of a Hell Goddess, but to find out when and where read on!  
  
A/N: OK, Dawn isn't the slayer, but she will have some slayer powers later, because she was made from Buffy and they share the same blood, but she doesn't have the whole destiny thing going on so she wouldn't be a potential. Got it? Be Nice! Constructive criticism only please (if you're gonna criticise that is)!! Sorry if it's similar to anyone's (to start off with), but it shouldn't be once Dawns arrives in Middle-Earth.  
  
The battle below her was fierce, blades slashed, axes chopped, arrow whistling their own song. This battle shouldn't be happening, it could have been avoided. Why wasn't it then?  
  
Did Giles really think that by killing Ben, he would be ending Glory, by condemning her to a mortal life? No. Glory was back, and back with a vengeance. All the more reason for her to become a God again, to exact her revenge, to crush the Slayer, and return home.  
  
'All in all, not good' Dawn thought. She tugged again at her bindings on her wrists, the tower swaying with her attempts to escape. The wind whipped her hair around; sliced through the dress she was forced to wear for the ceremony.  
  
She ceased to pull on her bindings, the wind was becoming ferocious and she was having trouble to stand up. Fighting to keep her balance Dawn risked another glance down at the battle scene. Bile rose up at the back of her throat, and she fought the urge to throw up.  
  
Glory had improved since last time. No humans, only demons, pure blood demons who wanted to kill every last slayer, who wanted to finish the first's work.  
  
The slayers fought, clawed, hacked their way towards the tower but with no avail. For every demon they killed there was another that replaced it. Bodies, demon and human lay strewn across the ground, tangled together in an intimate pattern.  
  
The wind had begun to die down, and the tower was nearly stable, but Dawn didn't want to look down again, to see so much death, all of which she had caused by simply being, for all she was responsible for.  
  
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? I know.my key. Surprise Dawnie! Come on, you really thought I would just disappear like that to become human so that you could live happily ever after?" Glory smiled sardonically, blood red lips stretched over pearly white teeth. There was a fire in her eyes, a fire of joy, of the havoc she was causing, the destruction that she would leave behind in her wake.  
  
"How old are you now Dawn? 20? 21? But you know what? You don't look a day over 18. Wouldn't believe it to look at you, you know. But it could just be that you're being compared to Buffy again, but then it's no surprise that you don't look as haggard as she does is it? She's died twice in the line of duty, she's saved the world, she's the slayer, she's supported you when mommy died, she saved the future of slayers, she's been through so much, blah, blah, blah.  
But you've noticed, they look at you differently now. A self absorbed slayer who only notices you when you're about to die, a guy who lost his humour the same time he lost his eye and fiancé, and a witch who became addicted to black magic before her 'special friend' was six-feet under and worm food. What does this tell you Dawnie? What does this tell you?"  
  
Dawn opened her mouth to answer-  
  
"Shush, I kinda want to hear myself talking right now."  
  
Glory paused, watching the pain in Dawn's face, her eyes full of unshed tears.  
  
"Ok, you turn now." She ordered.  
  
"It tells me, that you obviously have no life, no boyfriend, no nothing, if that concerned about my pathetic little life," She spat.  
  
Glory's eyes narrowed and she stepped forward menacingly, the pale moonlight reflecting off the knife, drawing Dawns attention to it. Suddenly she stepped back, her face and body relaxing, her eyes becoming amused, her lips moving into a smug grin.  
  
"I don't need a mortal life, I need and immortal one, which is what you are helping me to do now. As for the boyfriend's issue, why would I want one when I saw what yours did?" There was a comic smirk on her face, and malice was clear ion her eyes.  
  
Dawn felt physically slapped as the stinging memory wormed its way inside her head and heart.  
  
"And with your sister." She clicked her tongue in a motherly way. "I mean really Dawn, how big a betrayal was that?"  
  
Dawn broke eye contact and looked away, out at the starts. "Balls of energy just like me, apart from the fact that I'm green." She thought wryly.  
  
Gathering control of her emotions, Dawn turned back and faced Glory. Looking past her she could see Buffy. She could see her sister slay demon after demon, hardly waiting for one to fall, to be sure that it wouldn't rise again and she was off on to the next, 'just like boyfriends' Dawn mused.  
  
"She won't get here in time. "She's always minutes too late, they always find out what she has strived to keep from them. Always to late, to stop them from being emotionally hurt. You'll watch them die, either from the slow decay of time, or being butchered apart in battle."  
  
There was lightness in her tone, a sound of happiness that Dawn should be put through such pain, such torture.  
  
"They'll look at you with disgust, pity, envy when they find out. Relief will be present. You'll see them die and age before your very eyes, and after that you'll barely be able to remember them."  
  
Her voice was soft, but with an edge of steel. Hate seeped through between every word. She moved forward slowly, until she stood in front of Dawn. Their eyes locked, anticipation shone through in Glory's while Dawns were carefully blank, unreadable. Glory leaned forward, her mouth centimetres away from Dawn's ear.  
  
Her breath was warm as she spoke, "How's it going to feel, when they find out.you're immortal?"  
  
As Glory uttered the last two words, she jammed the knife into Dawn's stomach. Re-opening old scars from the last ceremony. Dawns gasped silently as the cold steel of the knife slid into her gut. Blood rushed along the handle, onto Glory's hand.  
  
"How?" Dawn chocked out.  
  
Glory removed her hand from the hilt of the knife; she raised her hand and looked at the blood on it. Reaching up to Dawns face she slid one finger along her cheek bone, and underneath her jaw. Searing pain followed, and Dawn struggled not to cry out.  
  
"You're the key, you've always been around and you'll always be around, forever and ever, and ever." Glory's voice grew quieter "forever and ever and ever." She sighed happily, coming to a stop as her voice trailed off.  
  
Dawn could feel the blood seeping between her toes. She looked down at the blood on them, before looking Glory in the eye, a small smirk playing around her mouth.  
  
"You've got the wrong date, no portal to hell."  
  
A look of un-certainty crossed Glory's face.  
  
"This'll just kill me" Dawn carried on, "and then bye, bye key."  
  
"Don't try to be intelligent, the key wasn't supposed to have a brain, did you not hear me? You're immortal, never going to rot, never going to heaven or hell-well maybe hell."  
  
Glory's tirade was cut off as a bright light appeared from underneath Dawn. It was a portal, Dawn looked down horrified.  
  
"But, t-the, the dates, t-t-this isn't supposed to happen." She stuttered.  
  
"Oh, don't worry. This won't kill you, it'll hurt like hell, but it won't kill you. Your sister will jump, but that's not exactly a tragedy is it?"  
  
As she spoke the portal was opening, becoming bigger, and bigger. The sound of boots on the metal stairs made Dawn realise that Buffy had arrived, but as Glory had predicted, she was too late. Picking up the pace Buffy tried to reach Glory before she jumped.  
  
"Thanks for the portal honey." And with those closing words, she jumped into the portal, there was a flash and a glow before the portal continued to grow larger.  
  
Buffy reached her side, and untied the ropes holding Dawn in place. Nostrils picking up on the smell of blood, Buffy gasped and tried to lead Dawn away from the portal. Dawn groaned, the pain, the pain was excruciating. Resisting Buffy grasp, Dawn drew away and with a swift tug pulled the knife free.  
  
Dawn watched, wide eyed as demons started to pour out of the portal, 'What have I done? Oh goddess.what have I done?' it was obvious Buffy intended to jump.  
  
"It's my turn this time." Dawn stated quietly, she could barley hear her own voice over the roar of the battle, but Buffy's slayer senses picked up on it clearly.  
  
"It'll kill you."  
  
"Maybe, but it's my responsibility, I started this, I have to finish this."  
  
"You can't just give up, you're a Summer's, and Summer's women are fighters, were survivors. You have to fight in this world Dawn."  
  
"I've had enough of fighting Buffy." Dawn's voice was full of pain, of longing for peace.  
  
"That doesn't mean that you just give up." Buffy snapped.  
  
"I'm not. I'm trying to find a way out of this for all of us. If I'm not here, the key's not here, and events like this can never happen again. I can never be the cause." dawn's voice cracked from emotion, tears trickled down her face, leaving streaks where they fell, washing away the dirt, the grime, but not the blood. Dawn tried to explain one last time, tried to make Buffy understand how she felt, why she had to do this. "You have a reason to be here.I don't."  
  
She glanced down at the remaining slayers and scoobies, demons still spilling out of the portal. It was getting desperate, even more so than before. "Look after then Buffy." She whispered. Planting a soft kiss to Buffy's head, she turned and jumped, becoming part of the white light that was the portal. 


	2. Who

A/N: Thanks for all the encouragement, you're the best!! Here's the next chapter, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Darkness was all around her as she fell. Air whistled past her, stinging her cheeks, arms, and legs. Dawn tried to scream, but no sound would emit from her throat, her fear and pain unable to break through.  
  
It was hot now, no longer cold, the scenery was different, darker, denser. It had often changed as she fell, going from one extreme to another. She knew that she was travelling through space, time, and dimensions. But to where exactly? Hell?  
  
She would die; surely nothing could save her now, who would be in this god forsaken place? 'Was this what Buffy went through?' Dawn thought, 'Or was she going up? Going up to heaven, she must have, if I'm travelling to hell.' Dawn's momentum was gaining faster and faster she was tumbling now. Tumbling down to hell. Her hand griped the knife as tight as possible. Afraid to let it go.  
  
If she was truly going to hell she would need a weapon, even one as small as this would become vital. She had seen what Angel was like after; she didn't want to become tormented. Apart from any cunning, and few self defence moves that Dawn had studied while watching the potentials, she was practically defenceless. Even at her age Buffy made her stay at home, 'I need you safe' but had Buffy ever thought that that was what Dawn wanted her to be? She was always left to research, looking after the potentials, never any field work for the slayer's little sister, even through she wasn't little any more, even now that she was a legal American adult.  
  
Glory said that she wouldn't die, that she was immortal, but maybe she was wrong. What if Glory was just playing with her, wanting to see her reaction at a terrible lie? But she could be dead this very minute for all she knew. Maybe her soul had left her body to plummet down to the battle, while the life within her was pulled away within the energy that she was made from.  
  
If she was dead didn't that mean Glory was as well? Glory was human, had not yet regained her God powers, and immortality. But Dawn had seen Glory's body disappear into the portal, into its bright light, but her body hadn't emerged from the other side, hadn't fallen through, its life force drained out of her.  
  
Her hair was tangled, yet still managing to swirl around her. Dawn's body slick with sweat, small cuts and abrasions covered her bare skin; bruises in various colours making her look like a paint by numbers. The twisting and turning while falling in mid air was making her feel sick; her body was drained both physically and emotionally.  
  
Dawn's gaze moved to the knife, and she studied it intently, it was a nice knife as far as knives go, silver, with intricate designs and patterns along the hilt. Her own dry blood coated the blade, the silver slightly visible underneath made her blood glow and simmer as if it had some unearthly quality about it, 'Well' Dawn thought sarcastically, 'I suppose it has.'  
  
Her body continued to roll and tumble this way and that, and suddenly there was a glint of red, Dawn tried to keep her eyes open as her body feel, scanning the area around her for the colour of red again. There it was again, red, this time she could make out other colours along with as she twisted and turned her neck so the colour was constantly in her vision as she fell.  
  
Red, gold, orange, yellow and black. Its outline was clear against the black background, due to the bright coloured flames which seemed to caress its body.  
  
A voice full of power echoed in the air around her, it was as if she could felt the air vibrating with his commands. Low and gravely, Dawn was unable to make out what he was saying, but the tone of voice was clear.  
  
The scenery had changed again. No longer was there any searing heat, but a bitter wind that sliced through Dawn's body, which turned her sweat to ice instantly.  
  
She was coming closer now, this would be the end, please say that this would be the end, 'please, please, please let it be over' she begged in her mind. 'Let this be it.' She prayed fervently.  
  
The voiced had ceased, and the creature was no longer moving, it's once brilliant flames fading, and burning out as its life force departed.  
  
The creature loomed closer still, closer and closer until she was almost past it. Her arm's flailed, trying to get a grip on it. But she couldn't get a hold of it, her hands continued to slide over it scales. With a last attempt she drove the knife into it, and was left hanging for a few seconds. She could feel her grip on the knife starting to slip, to lessen, her hand started to slide down the handle before her arms and fingers gave way.  
  
She was falling once again, this time to her doom, her only chance slipping way. Suddenly something wrapped itself around her wrist and wrenched her upwards, dislocating her shoulder. Dawn cried out in pain and fear. Reaching up with her other hand Dawn grasped the hand-hand?  
  
In surprise and shock Dawn almost let go, but another hand reached down and grabbed her before she had let go. Slowly she felt her body being pulled up, using her legs against the side of the creature she helped to push herself up.  
  
She was pulled over the edge after what felt like an eternity. Both of them collapsing side by side, breathing heavily before their sense returned. Suddenly dawn sprang up and fell into a defensive position. The figure cloaked in grey reached out and a stick flew into his hand.  
  
"Who are you?" They both demanded at the same time. Eyes locked, studying their opponent, watch for any sign that they would be about to attack.  
  
"Since I had the unfortunate task of saving your live you are indebted to me, therefore you shall go first, and only then if you are worthy of it shall you have mine." The voice was clear spoken, and obviously belonged to that of a man.  
  
"My name is Dawn, and who might you be to address me in such a manner?" 'Maybe English lessons did pay off after all.really shouldn't have missed as many as I did.' Dawn thought.  
  
"Gandalf the Grey" replied he, removing the hood from his face. 


	3. Truth, Travel, and Plans

Through Dimensions  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.unfortunately!  
  
A/N: Sorry that it's been awhile since my last update, but coursework, and work.tis always the same, always working and yet always broke! Thanks for the reviews, if you have any Ideas, or certain events that you want to happen in this fic, or any challenges then let me know and I'll do my best!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Gandalf? How do I know you speak the truth?" Dawn questioned.  
  
Gandalf looked slightly affronted, before a small spark of amusement and annoyance, as if being lenient with a favourite child.  
  
"You don't, you'll just have to trust me."  
  
Dawn snorted. "Trust?" She replied. "Trust is too easily given and therefore too easily broken. Trust no-one until they have been given reason for you to trust them."  
  
"I saved your life, isn't that enough for you to trust me?" He asked somewhat bemused as to what she was saying.  
  
"No. Many have saved my life, few were trust worthy, and many had their own agendas. You saved my life to satisfy you curiosity and to ease your conscience. Just because I don't trust you, doesn't mean that I'm not grateful.  
But power such as yours, shades of black, grey and white give me reason to be wary, and to question your motives. My life has taught me that much at least."  
  
Her eyes were hard, like chips of ice, displaying nothing, guarded, protecting herself, her emotions were in a tight vice like grip. In a warrior it was expected, admired, in nobility it was essential to show no fear, no weakness, but in a young woman such as this one it was unnatural. 'Terrifying' Gandalf thought.  
  
"You speak of my power, accuse me of having it yet speak nothing of yours." His eyes searched hers, trying to find a response, anything to prove that she had emotions, that she had some humanity left in her.  
  
Dawn remained blank, but inside she was shaking, she didn't know where she was, who she was talking to apart from the fact that his name was Gandalf and by the looks of things was a wizard.  
  
"Who do you work for?" Dawn asked, a direct approach would hopefully tell her all she needed to know by his reaction.  
  
"No-one-"  
  
"Everybody works for someone, even if it is for themselves. Jeez, this is so Harry Potter, the next thing you know you'll be telling me that you're my long lost god father, convicted of a crime you didn't do." Dawn returned sarcastically.  
  
"I'm afraid I'm somewhat confused as to whom you are referring t-"  
  
"Never mind." Dawn brushed off the question, they were getting off track, and that wasn't good. 'Maybe that's what he wants me to do.' She thought. Why are you here? Is this your punishment for being evil, or did you merely get stuck here in the search for more power?  
  
The wizards face became red and anger filled his eyes. The air cracked with the energy and tension as he prepared to retort to Dawns accusations. "You dare to link my name to that of evil? His voice boomed out. It is by fighting evil that I came to be in this place, by sacrificing my life for those of my friends, my companions so that the Quest could go on." His words poured out, the impact was like a tidal wave as his words sank into Dawns mind, her heart.  
  
"It would seem then" Dawn replied "that we were condemned here for the same reason."  
  
Disbelief entered the wizard's eyes, and suddenly he looked like an old man, twisted and bent by his burden, and the hand which fate had dealt him.  
  
"What happened?" He asked in a familiar voice. It was unusual for Dawn to hear it being spoken to her. She had few memories of her father speaking to her like that, Giles had often spoken to Buffy 'as a daughter' but never to her. It was just as well really, after she heard how he had suggested killing her, their relationship had been somewhat.strained and deteriorated rapidly.  
  
Her relationships however with Xander and Spike had actually got stronger, at least until Buffy had been brought back. Then she was alone again. Alone.just as she always was, either as the key or Dawn Summers, little sister of the slayer.  
  
"This isn't the time or the place to discuss it. Evil lies here, and although you have my sympathy, you have not yet gained my trust."  
  
Gandalf inclined his head slightly, in a gesture of acceptance, as if understanding her reasons.  
  
"You are correct" he agreed. "Evil lurks here still. Let us leave this place and travel back to the land from which we belong to."  
  
He turned and began walking.  
  
"I never belonged." She whispered, partly to herself and partly to the darkness. The wizard stiffened slightly before carrying on into the darkness as if she had never said anything.  
  
How long past they knew not. Time was constantly changing around them, and they had no spare energy to waste on something that held little importance to where they were.  
  
They began to tolerate each others company and due to the trials and tribulations that they went through, gradually becoming more at ease as a companionship grew between them. Trust was beginning to grow between them as familiarity grew.there had to be some trust, how else would they survive?  
  
Little they knew of each other, for there was little talk of their lives before, their main topic being of escape.  
  
Dawn didn't want to shatter the hope that Gandalf had, didn't want to be the one that reduced his heart and dreams to fragments, shards of what his hope had previously been. The hope that he would get back in time to help save his world, to help his companions.  
  
Time travels differently in different dimensions as she knew, Angel was one example, Buffy was another, but there had to be hope. Without hope they had nothing, no reason to survive, no reason to try and return.  
  
Without hope he would die. She would drift, forever lost. Bad for her personally, she decided, but good for the rest of man kind. She would be protected from them, never to be found, never to be responsible for any more death apart from his.  
  
It was dark still; there was never any other colour where they were. No colour to inspire any emotion except for hopelessness and desperation.  
  
They had paused in their journey for a while, with no provisions they were quickly becoming weak, having to take more and more frequent breaks to recuperate.  
  
Dawn lay on her back, lost in memories of Sunnydale as she gazed into nothing. Nothing.nothing described the entire plane of existence they were in at the moment.  
  
"What shall you do when we return Lady Dawn? My travels will be unsuitable for a young Lady such as yourself-"  
  
'Great, Buffy all over.' Dawn thought bitterly.  
  
"- these trials we face now will be nothing compared to the dangers of Middle Earth. Uruk-hai and Orc swell in vast numbers, well trained and with superior strength. Many skilled warriors have gone up against them before only to fall.  
There is no knowing what they would do to a young Lady as unprotected such as yourself. The mortal danger would be too great for you, even though you have proved yourself many times in this perilous journey.  
I would rest easier knowing your plans. Knowing that you are safe with your family, for as long as possible, however short that time may be."  
  
There was a long pause, his eyes anxiously looking into hers, but Dawns remained blank, devoid of any emotion.  
  
"Lady Dawn" he prompted, "your plans.?"  
  
There was a flame in her eyes as she answered. The flame burnt passionately, but was unable to melt the ice and hatred that consumed them, that had hardened her soul and heart. Eyes that showed a twisted passion and obsession.  
  
"Revenge." Was her one worded answer before turning on her side, her back facing Gandalf, signalling that the conversation was over.  
  
He sighed, honestly worried about the young women. The eyes and the hatred in them.he shifted uneasily. Eyes such as that should not be seen in one so young, nor in one that had seen many winters. Eyes like that were seen in Orc, and Uruk-hai, not humans, elves, dwarf, or hobbit.  
  
They never spoke of it again. Her mind was set and nothing would undo it. She wouldn't rest until she was free, until it was over once and for all.  
  
Gandalf knew that she would leave him as soon as they were on Middle Earth. Trying to change her mind against the revenge she was planning would only push her towards it only more, make her even more determined.  
  
He had been informed of her plan. But was obviously to remain ignorant to its finer details. 'Perhaps it would be for the best' he mused 'there's already more than enough for me to worry about already.'  
  
They carried on with their journey, remembering little of it, and wishing they could forget what remained in their minds.  
  
Dawns wounds weren't healing, though she had made sure that Gandalf knew little of her personal struggle. The small cuts and abrasions remained covered in scabs, often cracking and breaking open.  
  
Her stomach wound was a different matter. It wept of blood and pus constantly, swollen and sore with infection. Small scabs formed around the edge of the wound before dropping off.  
  
It was infected she knew, no surprise really. It had never been cleaned or dressed properly, and despite how careful she was dirt worked its way past the bandages she had made from the cleanest parts of her dress.  
  
'Maybe Glory wasn't lying.' She thought. 'Any normal human would have died from the lack of blood, or if they survived, would soon die from the infection, of the germs and toxins in my bloodstream.'  
  
Her thoughts were often dark, as were her dreams, persuading they were, persuading her to think little of her family, her few friends.  
  
'Had they forgotten her? Had she been wiped from their memories? After all, if she had died wouldn't the fabricated lies and fake memories die with the key, as they were no longer needed? Wouldn't the monks spell have ended if the life force of the key had finished? Were they only remembering the key as a ball of green light, of glowing energy? If they remembered anything at all, of either her or the key. Anything was possible, if she could be inserted into their lives and memories like that, couldn't she be erased? Maybe.maybe it would be easier for them if she wasn't remembered. There would be no grieving, no loss, much less pain in Buffy's life it would be easier for the scoobies to cope, surely? If she had never existed to them other than a ball of energy? Things would return to the way they were before, before she caused so much pain, trouble, unnecessary risk.  
  
They stopped again after they were unable to go on any further. Both were weak and Dawn feared that Gandalf would collapse from the pressures on him. But the old wizard carried on, never asking for help, her help unless absolutely necessary. To ease his pride, allowing it to remain intact she often gave her own advice un-asked, as a suggestion, or an odd thought.  
  
It seemed as if they were travelling in circles, round and round. Everything seemingly familiar, never changing.  
  
Her body dropped down onto the hard ground, knocking the air out of her lungs, she shivered and pulled a thin strip of Gandalf cloak around her frail body. It was cold, and the thin material did little to prevent the dampness from the ground reaching her skin, before the chilling cold went through her bones, her heart.  
  
Her limbs ached, and her head throbbed. Something was digging into her side as she lay curled up in a ball. But she was too tired to move, her body refusing her commands.  
  
'It doesn't really matter' were her last thought's as she fell into a restless sleep, 'I'm, still gonna be stiff, sore, and cold when I wake up anyway.'  
  
A/N: Reviews people, I wanna know what you all think! 


	4. No!

Disclaimer: Not mine!  
  
A/N: Will be a Dawn/Legolas fic eventually! Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, I got another idea for this fic's plot which, while it will stretch out the story, means the romance may take a little longer to develop! Gandalf is only it at the moment as a connection to the fellowship, and a way for Dawn to travel to M.E; I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea about the two of them, cause.that's just wrong! Friend relationship only! Remember to review cause then I know that I'm heading in the right direction! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"I bid you awake, Gandalf the Grey, and Dawn Summers, sister of the slayer, and she who is powerful in her own right. You have been brought here by the command of the Valar Gandalf the Grey, to you Dawn Summers they are known as 'The Powers That Be'."  
  
"Hurry, rouse yourselves," and insistent voice broke in. "The Valar are breaking many rules made long ago to bring you here."  
  
Dawn blinked and shielded her eyes from the light that surrounded her.  
  
She croaked, trying to find the old man in what appeared to be a square room.  
  
There were pillars at each archway, indicating the entrances and exits. The wall seemed as if it was made by marble, and a mist covered the hard and icy floor. A bright light glared in to Dawn's eyes, flinching she squeezed them shut again, trying to block out the obtrusive colour.  
  
"Do not think that your trials and tribulations throughout the dimensions between the land of the living and the land of death have gone on unnoticed." The voice was soft and powerful, surreal and spiritual as it echoed through the air, and swirled in the mist.  
  
Dawn's body was sore, her muscles stiff from her strenuous activity. Her head pounded and throbbed as blood raced through her veins and hammered against her skull.  
  
She lay quietly, unmoving, as she was still unaware of where she was. During uncertain times it was sometimes better to play dead, or rather unconscious. Information that was useful or required was often spoken more freely between the minions if the guards suspected their prisoners to be out cold.  
  
"I am here, I am here. Do not fret so Lady Dawn. The Valar are wise beyond our belief and existence. They belong to a higher plane entirely." Although the voice was reprimanding, as one would use to tell off a young child, it was comforting, familiar.  
  
Dawn gritted her teeth, annoyed at Gandalf references to the Valar, and his treatment and beliefs of her character.  
  
'Because, they are after all, so bloody fantastic. I mean they just couldn't make my life any nicer since I was disguised as a human, human.I'm not even referring to myself as human.but then I'm not am I? I was made from Buffy. But then again they couldn't have made Buffy's life any easier, would they? Not even if it was a higher wage, or more hours, extra overtime.  
Yes, after all the Powers have done for us, I should be grateful- BULLSHIT.' Dawns thoughts swirled round and round her head, faster and faster, louder and louder, until they were screaming out, demanding a release.  
  
"Lady Dawn," scolded Gandalf "you should not speak such language to the Valar, indeed you should not even know such language to use against them." His voice boomed out filled with anger, his eyes with rage, at her disrespect of the elders.  
  
But it did little to curb Dawns fury of being summoned before them, of being their little pawn for her entire existence. Only then did she realise that she had spoken the last of her thoughts out loud.  
  
"Do not tell me of how I should think, feel, react, or of how I should address the them, I am well acquainted with the Valar." She replied scathingly, "but they have done little to earn my respect or gratitude. For reasons they well understand." Dawn stressed the last few words bitterly, wanting to see a reaction from the figures in front of them.  
  
Wrapped in what appeared to be togas, they stood, tall and proud, arrogant, before them. They were the opposite of each other, black and white, ying and yang.  
  
The male had blonde hair, pale blonde eyes, ice like, showing that he little warmth inside his heart, his soul.  
  
The woman had dark hair, deep blue sapphire eyes, showing a tenderness that was absent in the eyes of her companion. Even then Dawn could tell which voice belonged to which figure.  
  
"What has happened in the past was done to shape the future, your destiny-"  
  
"Leave the past in the past where it belongs-"  
  
"You cannot change the past anymore than you can hide or run from you destiny-  
  
"Or change what was meant to be.  
  
The Oracles spoke as they had one mind, and one mind only, they finished each others sentences, never pausing, never hesitate, never seeming to think about what the other has just said.  
  
"Events that have previously taken place have all happened for a reason, they have not been conceived for our own amusement." "You have no idea how close your world has come to ending several times." The females voice was soft and she was trying to calm Dawn, trying to make her understand and to listen, but instead she was having the opposite effect.  
  
"No, I have no idea how close the world was to ending because I was never there was I? You have such an easy job; sit up here all safe, leaving other people to do your work, to save your people, to live in your harsh and cruel world. You would not be so loving of your world if you spent more than one day in it."  
  
"I cannot deny that you have been through much, have seen much-" The woman started.  
  
"But why do you keep doing it if you don't care? Why not let it all finish and be done with it?" The male asked.  
  
"Because who else will if we don't? Just because I hate the life that I have been given does not mean that I wish for others to have the same punishment as I have." Dawn spat out.  
  
"Lady Dawn, calm yourself, think about what you are saying, it is an honour to serve the Valar, even more so to be called before them. Try to respond with civilised decency at least." Gandalf snapped.  
  
"We need to work together now-"  
  
"To have a mutual respect and-" Dawn ignored Gandalf warning, instead cutting off what the male Oracle had been saying.  
  
"Respect? Respect for what?" Dawn replied her voice full of resentment. "Everything that you have done has caused nothing but pain and grief. What have you done to earn my respect apart from meddling in affairs, which you can never understand?  
The only time you respect us is when you need something doing, and even then we are nothing but pawns, pawns in a game of chess, which is apparently to complicated and difficult for us to get are small little minds around, you tell us that we don't understand the risks!" her voice was full of sarcasm, laughter, and fake hilarity, and a manic danced around her mouth.  
"But, then of course you are right! We don't risk our lives every time we have to sort out your problems, your mistakes, and your universe!"  
  
Her demeanour quickly changed and the fake joy and understanding that had once been there was now absent. "To you we are nothing but pawns, expendable, like the slayers, one dies but another rises to take her place. You will have no respect from me now, and don't think that you will be receiving any from me in the future" Her voice had risen higher and higher in her last statement until she was screaming at the oracles.  
  
"To full-fill your destiny-" The woman started to speak again before she was cut off by Dawn.  
  
"My destiny?" Dawn whispered harshly. "Will you shut up with this crap about my destiny?!" She exploded. "To have a destiny you have to be real. I'm not real!"  
  
Her eye colour had changed, no longer hard and icy, but dark and deep, as turbulent as the ocean. Emotions were tossed around, turned and swept away before being replaced with another emotion that they had not the time to label before it was gone. Gone, and another more powerful emotion standing in its place.  
  
As her uncontrolled anger and fury grew, so did her power. It was rising, closer and closer to the surface, you could see it in those eyes, those eyes that you were unable to forget, that stayed forever burnt and etched in your mind. Never in the rest of his life did Gandalf forget those haunted eyes.  
  
Those around her took a step back, waiting for her anger to blow, wanting to get out of the way, not to be the first in the firing line. Her emotions and power were strong. Her power was feeding off of her emotions. They didn't want her to the emotions which she held tightly inside; already she was close to losing her control.  
  
Giving an enraged cry like that of a trapped animal, she turned, and hurled her fist towards the stone pillar. A loud crunch was heard as her fist and the marble connected. But it was not her fist, which gave way; it was the marble.  
  
A large crack was visible in the stone from where the force of her punch had split the stone. It grew bigger, and bigger, running further and further up the pillar, smaller cracks forming and branching off as they formed their own patterns.  
  
As the cracks became more obvious, splinters of the pillar began to fall away, larger the pieces of marble became. The ground began to vibrate beneath them, as the sound of falling rock became stronger and louder.  
  
Dust was swirling around Dawn as she backed away from the falling pillar. There was a loud crash, similar to the of thunder; with another puff of dust and grit the entire pillar gave way, the noise dying away as quickly and quietly as it begun.  
  
Looking down Dawn could see the pile of rubble centimetres away from her bare feet. Which she noticed were very dirty, in great need of a wash. "Oh god." She breathed moving away, "oh god, oh god." What had she done? Where had that power and strength come from?  
  
Dawn stumbled back away from the pile of ruin, her legs giving out once she was away from the danger, slamming her body against the hard floor. Her skin connected with the floor with a slap. Silent tears streamed down her face, but she made no sound. She had gotten good over the years of masking the sounds of her crying. There had always been plenty of practise, the deaths of Rhonda, Kennedy and many other young friends that had meet brutal ends, which were not always quick, but usually painful and gory.  
  
She silently willed her self not to shake, not to show a weakness. A weakness that they would use against her; against the people she loved. She had seen the innocent die, because it was the quickest and easiest, the most painful way of hurting those the demon wished to get too. Of making its target weak, defenceless, easy to kill.  
  
Gandalf had been forgotten in all of the commotion, and he stood to the side, watching and listening intently to the scene before him. Watched the interaction between Dawn and the Oracles, watched her resentment and anger.  
  
"You see Dawn, you have a destiny here, a purpose. You were brought here for a reason." The woman tried to explain once again.  
  
"Well maybe I don't want to have a use, maybe I don't want to be discarded once you have got what you wanted from me." Dawn said, standing up. "Because you see, I was under the impression that I was sent here because an ex-hell Goddess tried to sacrifice me, and the tiny fact that it worked." Her answer full of sarcasm, disrespect in every pore of the speech. Her tears had faded away as her anger once again started to burn bright.  
  
"You are not a child, stop acting like one!" The man snapped, having lost his patience.  
  
"No! See, while I'm supposedly 21 in human years, I've only existed as Dawn Summers for five of the, so I have got a lot of catching up to do, and if that means acting like a child, eating junk food, and being a pain in the arse then I shall!  
I'm outta here."  
  
She'd had enough, of their commands, their thoughts any thing related to them, to hell with them, to hell with Gandalf and his respect for them, he was nothing but an old man that thought she couldn't look after herself. How old did he think that she was 14? 15? No she was a legal American adult, she was supposed to be dead, she was as old, if not older than they were in the age of the key, and she was not going to put up with any more of their crap.  
  
Moving across the room, she made her way to the exit, or rather the archway with out a pillar missing. Her feet made small pitter-patter sounds as her shoeless feet and the marble floor meet.  
  
"Lady Dawn, will you please calm down and think about this. You have nowhere to go; you have been brought here for a reason, and have nothing but the clothes on your back, and a badly infected wound." Gandalf pleaded, trying to make her see reason.  
  
Dawn paused before turning around and faced the old wizard. "What does it matter? I have been brought here because someone has to stop a new 'big bad', and this time they decided that someone was gonna be me. They picked me because they knew that I wouldn't get pulled away from them, because they think that I am stupid enough to fall for a deal in which they say:  
  
"You help these people and full-fill you true prophecy, allowing countless others to achieve theirs and then you will be free to return to your home  
land, where you can carry on as normal, and live happily ever after." But you know what Gandalf?" She smiled sadly at him, and glanced over at the oracles before turning her full attention back to him. "They don't tell you about the part, where it's hard to fit in, or if time happens at a different rate in either dimension, or if you'll really be happy. They can't guarantee that thing's will go back to the way they were before.  
'Happy ever after' Gandalf? 'Happy ever after' only ever happens in books, stories and fairy tales. 'Happy ever after' doesn't happen in real life, in reality, I know that. I've accepted that, but it doesn't mean to say that it saddens me to know that it can't be true.  
But just because I have accepted it doesn't mean to say that I don't want it, don't crave it. It just makes me want peace and oblivion all the more." A single tear ran out the corner of her eye, "Is that so hard to understand?" She whispered fervently trying to make him understand.  
  
"No it isn't, but the Valar will decide when you get that peace, not you. Lady Dawn, go out through that archway, and you shall surely die." Gandalf said desperately, hoping to put some sense in her. "I did not save you so that you could kill your-self." He called out.  
  
The Oracles watched on, if she was too go out of that exit, then Middle- Earth would fall, Sauron, and darkness would rule. But what could they do? They had tried to make her see sense, but she was hurt, unable to see what could happen if she was too fail. If they did not arrive soon, and she left, all would be lost.  
  
"Who says that I wanted to be saved? You don't want me to die, but I hope that I do, soon, as soon as possible in fact. Do not grieve, for I am not sad to go." She turned and strode determinedly towards the archway, she didn't want to see their faces, didn't want to remember them as she died, pleading with her not to go. She didn't want to die seeing his disappointment in her. Obviously slayers were not the only people to have death wishes.  
  
"How can you give up now? After everything you have been through so far to reach this place?" He asked.  
  
Dawn didn't answer as she stepped up to the archway, and had managed to cross part way through when she collided with some-thing. The force of collision pushed her back, causing her to fall, and slide along the smooth marble floor.  
  
The dark shape also stumbled out of the door, and looked over at Dawn with a mischievous grin on his face. "Hey Kid, no time long see! Hope you weren't about to leave without sayin' goodbye to your old pal?"  
  
A/N: Ahhh cliff-hanger?! Who do you think it will be or have I given it away already? Let me know, you might get the next chapter posted quicker if you do! 


	5. You!

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long to update, I was half way through it when I posted the previous chapter but my computer then decided not to allow me access to the disk it was saved on, so I had to rewrite it all. I was so annoyed. *Growls at computer stupid thing. * Anyway here's the next chapter, no doubt you will all hate me for not putting the in character in that you wanted! But other appearances will be made soon! A big thank you to all of my reviewers! Greatly appreciated. As for the guesses, Lucifer Frost is the only one who has appears to have gotten it right! Contains some swearing. You have been warned.  
  
StorytellerSJK: Thank you for your advice and comments, and I hope that you can see some difference in this chapter, but don't be surprised if you can't yet, it'll probably happen over a gradual period as the plot evolves. Sid the Dummy? That's got to be the most unusual guess I received! But thank you anyway!  
  
Lucifer Frost: You appear to have gotten it right!  
  
EIsawriter: Thank you for your compliments about this story, I know Dawn can be annoying, but she's far better in fiction. I'll try and make her as less whiney as possible!  
  
ZombieGurl98: Here's the nest chapter, glad that you are enjoying it! But no Xander!  
  
Alexandra Black: I know I am a mean person! *Grins!* I hate it when other authors do that as well but I couldn't resist!  
  
Darklight: I'll try and keep Dawn from caving in, she definitely won't do what the Oracles want her to do most of the time.  
  
divad relffehs: No Angel!  
  
Aeryn3: Here's the next chapter, hope you like it since it's not Angel or Doyle. Although you were quite close with Doyle!  
  
PreCarIouS*pErsOnaTa: Hope that you enjoy the update! So were you right? Was it the person you thought it was?!  
  
ladyofthedragons1: No Spike or Lorne! Oh! I really want to put Lorne in now, he is just so funny! Although I can't see him wearing black, *lol* funny mental picture, he'd complain about the color of the clothes! Hope that you like the new chapter.  
  
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Chapter 5  
  
Dawn stood up quickly, a scowl marring her face as she realized who had knocked her over.  
  
"Whistler? What are you doing here? Am I mistaken, or aren't you in the wrong dimension?" She asked confused at the sudden turn of events. "Wait a minute, if you can come here then I can go home!" Hope and excitement lit up her eyes, and face.  
  
"Hold up a minute Kid. What's this? No hug, no hello Whistler, 'glad to see ya?' I'm hurt really, I am!" He teased; putting his hand over his heart he allowed his mock hurt to be shown to all in the room.  
  
"Whistler." Dawn growled.  
  
"Wow, that's quite a purr you got there kitten!"  
  
"Whistler!" Dawn snapped. The two of them had never gotten on particularly well, always seeming to annoy the other by what they happened to say or do.  
  
The cryptic warnings, advice and bad news that never made any sense until the last possible minute never helped much. That, and the fact that Buffy always had the whole death warrant thing out for him.  
  
"Chill Kid, I'm here to help you out. Bet ya never thought you'd see me did ya?"  
  
"Help? I'm not gonna be doing anything that requires any help! Especially from you! See it's really simple, you came here to help me, and by taking me back to the other side of the rainbow with you that's exactly what you'll be doing." It was obvious from the tone of her voice that Dawn had had enough of the bullshit, from him, and the Powers That Be. "And stop calling me kid!" She added as an afterthought.  
  
'I warned them!' Whistler thought mentally, 'they've pushed her too far.'  
  
"Not as simple as that Dawn, even you know that already. You were brought her for a reason." There was sadness in his voice, underlined with guilt.  
  
"No!" Dawn burst out. "I got sent her because of some crazed hell goddess by the name of Glory, I got sent her because of her! There is no other reason!" She protested angrily. "I just want to go home."  
  
"But here's the deal kid, you can't." He told her quietly.  
  
"What do you meant I can't? You got here, you can take me back with you. Simple as that, I'm not seeing a problem!"  
  
"I can't take you back. It would be breaking too many laws, you know that-"  
  
"Fine" She yelled at him. "You won't take me back, then I'll go back on my own." Dawn stormed across the marble floor, her hair flying out behind her, as wild as Dawn's torrent of emotions. The entranceway that was once clouded over with dark mist changed. No longer was the smoky cloud there, but in its place a hard stonewall. She pounded her fists against it, "Let me out! Let me out!" She screamed over and over again, her voice becoming hoarse, the words undecipherable as they blurred together in her emotion, and desperation to get them out.  
  
"I can't break the laws put in place by the Powers, you must understand that-"  
  
"Screw the laws! Screw the Powers That Be! I don't care; I just want to go home! What have they ever done for me?" Dawn shouted at him, turning around so she could look at his face.  
  
"If I take you back with me, Dawn, the destinies, and the prophecies that have to take place won't. They won't take place Dawn! The balance will shift, if the prophecies don't come to pass then the whole world is doomed, the side of the light will fall, and darkness will rule in its place. There's too much at stake, you must understand that.I'm sorry, but I can't risk that." His desperate words trailed off; there was nothing else he could say to make her see reason. Dawn had to accept the situation that she was in, she had to digest and understand what she had just been told.  
  
"No! When Buffy was bought back the balanced changed, but we won. Buffy got to stay, why can't I? I really don't care about the reasons. I have to go back Whistler.I have to. I-I can't stay here.I can't stay in this dimension.I just can't.there must be a way for me to get home, there has to be." Dawn insisted. "There must be a loophole Whistler, there's always a loophole."  
  
"You can go back once. ONCE. You go there, you come back again, no interaction with anyone that you know, you literally grab a few possessions, and come back again. That's it Dawn, one time only deal."  
  
'What's the point in arguing? Their gonna do what they want no matter what I think, feel or do.I hate them! I HATE them! I hate THEM! I HATE THEM!' Her mind screamed out at her because of the injustice of her situation. 'Play this to your advantage!' Another small voice whispered from the back of her mind.  
  
Taking a deep breath she asked, "What can I take?"  
  
"Anything you want, within reason of course. It's no good bringing an ice- cream maker over when they have no electricity over here yet." Whistler tried to joke, but it fell flat.  
  
"What about after? After I've got what I want?" Dawn interrogated.  
  
"Your stuck here." Anticipating her next question he answered it. "You only get this one time as a gift. Your world is safe for the time being because of the sacrifice you made. This is your reward. It's a one time only deal Dawn.  
  
"Why isn't death my gift? As it was for Buffy?" Dawn asked him; she looked into his eyes, and saw the sympathy in them, the pity. "She wasn't lying was she?" She confirmed softly, his eyes, the windows to ones soul giving her the answer instantly.  
  
Terror rose inside of her at the prospect of living forever. Did she really want to see the future? See what became of all the problems man created? See what was still unimaginable; despite the technology that was used. Would she see the extinction of the human race?  
How many wars would she witness? How many people would she see die? What would happen to those she left behind? How long would it take for people to become suspicious of her, forcing her to leave the place she was using as a temporary home?  
  
Dawn thought about the offer carefully, she had things that she wanted back home. Things that she didn't want to leave behind. She was petrified at the thought of living forever. What would happen if she began to forget them, if her memory went hazy, and the pictures in her mind became blurred and she forgot the sound of their voices, their laughter, their habits, likes and dislikes. If she went back then she could bring pictures, bring objects that would help keep them alive in her mind, in her heart.  
But if she went, would the Powers That Be, call her back on it? Would they demand that she fulfill her debt to them, after what they had allowed her.?  
But even if they did.she's still have something to remind her of her family.not exactly the good times, or high points in her life, but it would remind her of living, of feelings, love and hope, and everything else that at one pointing her life she had wished to forget.  
  
"I want to go." She told him unflinchingly. "I want reminders of my home, friends and family. Especially if I'm never to see them again for all eternity.." She spat out bitterly.  
  
Whistler nodded, showing that he approved of her decision. The Oracles watched on from their place in the background, while Gandalf looked confused as to what exactly was going on. Both of them having been forgotten in all the commotion. She moved over to the old wizard, wanting to imprint him in her mind. She wanted to remember the old man that she been through so much with.  
  
"Bye Gandalf, maybe I'll see you around sometime." The farewell came to an embarrassing stop, they both knew that the chances of seeing each other again were highly unlikely.  
  
"Maybe Lady Dawn, maybe." Gandalf replied gravely. "Take great care of yourself on your journey, never be afraid to ask for help."  
  
"Don't worry about me." Dawn assured him. " I am more than capable, and since I am leaving, will you do one more thing for me?"  
  
Gandalf smiled at her, and she carried on with her request.  
  
"Never, ever call me Lady Dawn again. My friends call me Dawn, and you're my only friend here at the moment." Her voice was full of warmth as she spoke to him, unconsciously showing that she had gotten rather fond of the old wizard in the time that they had spent together.  
  
Spontaneously she hugged him tightly, wanting to make sure that he was real, that he wasn't a figment of her imagination that would disappear at any moment. "Take care of yourself!" She whispered fiercely before moving away.  
  
Turning, she looked across to where the Oracles were positioned. "Make sure he stays in one piece." She commanded icily, "Or it won't be the new big bad that you're worrying about." She told them before following Whistler through the now misty archway.  
  
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Air whistled past her, scraped across her skin, pulled against her hair, and ravaged her body. The force of it pushed her eyelids flat against her eyes. Unable to see what was happening, she couldn't make out what was going on around her.  
It seemed like eternity as she traveled through the portal. She could feel herself speeding up now; faster and harsher was the wind as it raced past her. Her head was beginning to swim from lack of oxygen, and she was unable to solidify any thoughts and chain them together.  
  
The energy of the portal shoved her out of the archway, causing her to land in a crumpled heap in front of Whistlers feet. Dawn struggled to breathe in, bright spots swam before her eyes as she gasped, and tried in vain to bring oxygen into her lungs.  
  
"You alright Kid?" Whistler enquired.  
  
Dawn glared up at him, was he really that dense? She was lying in front of him, having a hard time trying to breathe, seconds ago had traveled through god knows how many different portals, had just been told that she was to be stuck in Middle Earth forever, unable to see her sister, or any of her friends for the brief time she was allowed home, not to mention she shock of Glory's revelations that had been proved true, and he was asking her if she was alright?  
  
"What.?" She ground out.  
  
Whistler shuffled uneasily on his feet. "Nothin'?" Whistler tried to state, yet managed to make it sound like a question. Offering her his hand to help her up, Dawn took in her surroundings. They were situated in a small dark, dank room.  
  
Whistler carried on talking as he led her out of what appeared to be a basement. "You haven't got a lot of time. Two hours max, but I strongly suggest that you get what you want as quickly as possible." As they came out onto the street she was reminded of Sunnydale. The small beach front shops, the smell of the sea. Quickly they moved off, Whistler seemed to want to be done as quickly as possible, while she wanted to take her time, savor the last hours she'd spend on regular earth.  
  
"What happens if we run into someone that I know-" She began.  
  
"Trust me, you won't. But it's really important that you get your stuff as quickly as possible."  
  
"But why can't I see them?"  
  
"Dawn-"  
  
"Don't 'Dawn' me!" She snapped. "Why can't I see them?"  
  
"Because you're dead to them!" Whistler exploded. He watched, saw the blood drain from Dawn's face in her shock, "Ok.maybe that wasn't the best way to break the news."  
  
"Dead?" The word was spoken so quietly Whistler thought it at first part of his imagination until she repeated it.  
  
"I'm sorry Kid, I really am. That's why you can't see them, that's why you have to stay in Middle Earth. After, after you're.sacrifice, the Powers That Be had a hard time trying to track you down. You were right. The alignment was wrong. The portal didn't open up in hell, but in Middle Earth. The possibilities of where you had been sent were so endless it took several years for us to find you.  
Would have taken longer of it wasn't for either yours or Gandalf's actions, in your attempt to return home." Emotions coursed through his voice as he told her what had happened.  
  
Tears of sorrow, and understanding cascaded down her face. These seemed to hurt Whistler more than any other reaction she could have given, of anger, or hate.  
  
"At least they have something to believe." She told him. "By me being dead.there's a definite end. Buffy can grieve and move on; the pain for her will ease over time. I won't be a burden any longer.  
But I won't be forgotten. She'll still remember me as her sister. But by my death, Buffy will be able to believe that I am safe and happy in heaven. There will be something for her to believe, even if the basis for her dreams and beliefs are fake." Dawn trailed off; she couldn't put into words her emotions. Her shoulders shook and trembled with emotion, but she refused to give in. She would cry and grieve when she was alone, her pride demanded that much.  
  
Whistler watched her, as she struggled with her emotions. He wanted to comfort her, but how could he? How could he when he knew that it was all a lie? But was it a lie for the best? Whistler decided that perhaps it was, as he watched on. It would give her peace of mind, the same way it had given Buffy peace. It didn't matter if it wasn't true; she wasn't going to know any different because no one was going to tell her.  
  
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"Whistler, where are we?" Dawn enquired; she had never been here before and was curious as to where they were going.  
  
"Storage, after you.died." Whistler started, it was a delicate topic and he was unsure as to how to put it. Sure normally he'd just come right out and say it, but he had to be careful otherwise.otherwise it could cause more damage that good. Everything that was happening now was in Dawns best interests so it wasn't completely bad, but still.not how he would have handled the situation.  
  
"Whistler? Hello? Anyone there?" Dawn waved a hand in front of his face, trying to attract his attention, she succeeded, and he left his thoughts, buried at the back of his mind, if he didn't think about them he wouldn't feel so sorry for the kid.  
  
"Well.Buffy didn't keep a lot of your stuff, she kept a few of the more important things.but the rest here I grabbed, figured there was gonna be some stuff that you wanted if you came back." He came to a close, not really having any more to say on the subject.  
  
"Thanks" Dawn told him as she stepped into a small steel compartment. Boxes full of her things, she noticed some stuffed animals sitting on top of some crates, 'Could she really have been that childish to keep such useless things? But then again.that was her two years ago, when she was desperately trying to hold on to her childhood, her innocence.she'd changed, Glory had done that to her, had taken her away from the people she loved, had her stuck in a different dimension.she would have revenge, she would!  
But then had she been innocent? She'd seen death and the darkest parts of hell, she wasn't even real, how could she have any innocence left? But hadn't she always had the childish beliefs that Buffy would save the world that good would triumph over evil and that love would save the day. Rationally she knew that theses wouldn't happen. But if she let them go would she be releasing her innocence? By holding on to them then there was still the slight chance, no matter how small or foolish, there was something for her to believe in when things hit rock bottom.'  
  
"How did you know that I was coming back?" The thought suddenly came to mind.  
  
Whistler cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Tip off. Powers That Be." He said shortly. "Hurry up kid, just over one hour left, and we gotta get back yet."  
  
Dawn nodded signaling that she had heard him, and moved towards the boxes before reading the labels and sorting through them. Pieces of her furniture were covered with sheets to keep away the dust. Looking at the different contents, reliving different memories.  
  
Whistler looked towards the crates and boxes, "I'll wait out side, no doubt you'll want to get changed or something."  
  
"Yeah.. whatever." Dawn murmured absent not really paying attention to what Whistler had just said, she turned her head and smiled at him quickly before returning her full attention to the objects in the boxes.  
  
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Dawn stepped out of the storage compartment in her favorite pair of lack leather trousers, a well-fitted dark green top, a black leather jacket that fell just past the edges of her dark green top, and a pair of flat black boots. 'A bit loose' she thought. 'But that's not surprising after the extreme diet of no food. Oh, well, at least the trousers are low cut hipster style; they won't touch my stomach unless I bend over to much or move around unnecessarily. Not to self, must get first aid kit.'  
  
Her bag was slung over her shoulders, and her hair was pulled up out of the way in a ponytail, a few stray strands framed her face. She was still covered in grime, and dirt, but she would wash in Middle Earth, she clothes that she had selected would be good for traveling in. All but the green top could be wiped clean in necessary.  
  
Dawn looked down at the outfit she was wearing; it was dark, good for camouflage, and mysterious. The dark colors would distract any unwanted attention, and put people off asking any questions, if only because they are scared of her and any possible reactions they might evoke. They would be scared of bringing her wrath down on themselves. She'd look dangerous, act dangerous even if she wasn't.  
  
That was what she was after; if the people of Middle Earth were scared of her they would keep away. That was her main objective. Yes they would stay away from her if she gained a reputation. It would be best all round, they would be safe if kept away from her, and she would have peace of mind if knowing that others were not in danger because of her.  
  
"You got everything kid?" Whistler asked.  
  
"Yep, pretty sure I have.no doubt there's something that I have forgotten though!" She joked trying to lighten up the tense atmosphere.  
  
"Right then, let's go. Need me to carry anything?" Whistler checked.  
  
"I've only got the one bag, and it's quite light, surprisingly considering what I have in it."  
  
"What have you got?" He asked, as they started to make their way towards the exit of the storage compound.  
  
"Spare clothes, weapons, the usual, few pieces of jewelry, pictures of Mom, Buffy, the gang, nothin' much really. Most of my stuff if too big to come with me, it'll have to be left here." She mentioned sadly.  
  
"Sorry kid, but that's the way it is-"  
  
"Yeah, I know," Dawn interrupted him "but it doesn't make things any easier though does it?" She chuckled sadly.  
  
Whistler looked down at his watch again, "Ok, lets get going."  
  
That watch, a memory stirred at the back of her mind, the watch? No.the gesture? No."OH! Oh! Oh!" Dawn exclaimed before running back her storage room. The sound of her rummaging around in boxes could be heard from outside.  
  
A muffled "Ah hah!" was heard by Whistler, and Dawn came . She was holding the offended article in her right hand, and held it up in victory.  
  
"So do not want to forget my wrist guard! Middle Earth seems positively Medieval, which of course means bows and arrows, swords, y'know, that kinda thing. Anyway, can we stop of at a chemists or something? I still need to pick up some things."  
  
"Whistler looked at her oddly, "Yeah, I suppose. We'd have to be quick though. What do you need at a chemist?"  
  
"Think about it Whistler." She told him, her voice tinged with annoyance, despite the amusement, which lit up her eyes.  
  
His friendly face creased with thought, "Uhmm.errrr..ohhhhh." He lit up suddenly with realization, as if someone had turned a light bulb on in his head.  
  
'The lights are on but no ones home!' Dawn thought to herself. "Yeah, I mean I know I'm going to another dimension and everything, but that's no excuse for allowing dental hygiene standards to become lax." Dawn teased him, her face a picture of youthful innocence, which only when sad, or surprised did the hardships of life show in her face, but most of all her eyes.  
  
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Dawn strolled out of the chemist five minutes later. A paper bag holding all the essentials she would need for the next few months. Shampoo and conditioner, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush, comb, and some hair ties, some items for that time of that annoying time of the month, and a few other girlie items, that might come in handy for an emergency.  
And last but not least a new, up to date, complete first aid kit. She refused to even think about the medicine, and cures that they would still be using. 'Am so not gonna go there.'  
  
Whistler was waiting for her outside, and together they made their way back across to the portal that would return her to Middle Earth.  
  
"Right, you got everything kid?" He checked one last time. "I'll pop over now and again to see how you're getting' on, so make a list if you forget anything.Well I guess this is it."  
  
"Yep, thanks for all your help." Her attention was caught by a figure in the distance, is that-No! 'Don't be silly.' She reprimanded her self, 'But it could be.' Another part of her mind interjected. "No it isn't, it can't be." She denied.  
  
The figure turned around, the blonde hair framing a familiar face, and suddenly Dawn knew who it was. Whistler turned around; hoping for a glimpse of what had Dawn captivated.  
  
"Buffy." She whispered. The figure was advancing over to them, and fast.  
  
Whistler turned back to Dawn, and took hold of her by the upper arm, physically pulling her over to the portal, which had awoken on their arrival. Dawn resisted and easily slipped out of his grasp. Too easily, she pulled out of his grasp far to easily.  
  
"What the fuck?" She asked herself. The salty sea breeze swirled around her, playing with her hair, trying to distract her from what was going on around her.  
  
"Kid, get in that portal, get in that portal, and get to Middle Earth as fast as possible." Whistler demanded.  
  
"But Buffy-" She protested.  
  
"But nothin', Dawn get in that portal, or say goodbye to this world."  
  
His word brought some sense into her head, and she moved towards it. Whistler put his hand on her lower back, in a vain attempt to push her towards the rapidly expanding portal more quickly.  
A surge of power went through her. She felt her body tense, and blood crash against her veins, calling for release, telling her to put the demon in its place as he tried to hurry her towards the portal.  
  
"Whistler what is going on? I going all hormonal, and not in the weepy kinda way, more alone the lines of, 'If you touch me one more time, I'll strangle you with your own intestines.' I feel as though I have a blood lust, a new power surging through my veins. My eyesight, my hearing-it's all improved. I feel so much more aware, I feel dangerous, a coiled spring ready to attack at any moment. What is happening to me?" She asked furiously.  
  
Whistler checked over his right shoulder again nervously. The figure was less than half a block away. "Whistler." Buffy called out urgently. "Whistler stop right there!" She insisted.  
  
Dawn hesitated; she wanted to see her sister, if only for a few seconds before she was bundled through a portal, to what seemed like the middle ages. One last glimpse was all she wanted, a few seconds to soak up the sight of her sister for the rest of eternity, surely what the Oracles, and Whistler had told her about the consequences was exaggerated. Surely it was conceived, the main point being to put her off any contact with friends or family.  
  
Dawn stood in front of the portal now, but still refused to cross over, Whistler was getting agitated, trying to push her through, and yet for some reason lacking the strength to do so, she just kept batting him away as one would do to an annoying fly.  
  
Dawn could see her sister clearly now, well she could see her clearly when Buffy was a block away, but Buffy was closer now, if she could just hang on for a few minutes longer.  
  
"Kid, you wanna know why you are feelin' different?" Whistler asked her, trying to draw her attention from the approaching slayer.  
  
"Why?" Dawn replied, her attention still captivated by her sister. She smiled at Buffy, relief, hope, love mixed onto her face.  
  
"Because you are made from her." The simple statement caused the world to stop around her. Dawn felt the smile slip off her face, the blood crash in her ears and drown out the sound of the ocean, the crash of the waves on the shore as they broke. She struggled to breathe through shock.  
  
"Sorry kid." Whistler said before pushing her backwards through the portal, just as Buffy came up behind him.  
  
The last thing Dawn saw of her world was the sunset over the salty plain of water ahead of her, and the face of her sister, which was full of confusion at Whistlers actions, but most disturbingly of all was the fact that her sisters eyes held to reaction, no love, no affection, no recognition as she looked Dawn straight eye.  
  
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A/N: R&R Please and I will love you forever! 


	6. Blue Eyes

A/N: Here's the new chapter!  
  
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'I am getting way to used to this.' Dawn thought as energy swirled and pulsed around her, crackling sounds could be heard, and bright sparks could be seen all around when she opened her eyes. The air was vibrating around her body as she fell, could pick up on the little tremors of the energy as she was propelled through the air.  
  
Past places, familiar faces, colors blurred past her, mixing together, representing her life. A mass of emotion and muddle. Nothing could be properly identified, yet still separated from one another. Each vision came so fast she began to wonder if she had indeed seen what she thought she had. Was it just another part of her imagination?  
  
Thoughts of Buffy, and what Whistler had told her came to mind, but she pushed them away, fought against the memories of what would be a previous life. She was afraid of the emotions that might be released in she tried to analyze what she was feeling at that very moment in time. She was afraid to release her anger, her hatred for the powers that be. Who knows where it might take her.  
  
She'd let her emotions simmer; keep them from boiling over until, until.until she was ready. When she was ready, ready to strike back against Glory, against the powers, against everyone that took her away from her family. She would vent her anger and hurt on a worthy source; she would not let it all out yet. Not yet.  
  
If she let it all out now, the feelings would pass, and all she'd be left with would be a longing for home, and a deep sadness. She wanted to inflict the same pain and hate she was feeling at the moment on those that had hurt her most.  
  
'I will stop, think about what has happened to me, and what I shall have to do to get home. But not until I have got my revenge. Once I have my revenge against Glory, then and only then shall I think about what I am feeling, and what I shall do about it.' She promised herself.  
  
This portal was different from the last one. This one was more surreal, more vibrant. The energy seemed to welcome her this time. No longer was it fighting against her, but pulling her towards its center.  
  
Dawn clung tightly to her bag as she fell, hoping that the bag was properly zipped up, that she wouldn't lose any of her most important possessions. 'Don't undo, don't undo, don't undo!' She repeated in a mantra.  
  
No longer was she tumbling around like a rag doll as she fell. Instead she stayed in one position, as if she was gracefully diving into a deep aquamarine pool of crystal clear water. Wind whistled past her ears calling out to her as it raced past.  
  
No longer were there any sharp, jagged rocks waiting to catch her on their spikes. There was no danger of her hurting herself as she fell, or so she hoped.  
  
A small soft thud indicated her arrival. Dawn caught her breath and moved back, leaning against her heels as she knelt and looked around. She knew in an instant that Middle-Earth was going to be nothing like she was used to back home.  
  
To her left a wide river ran it's course. Wide and deep it flowed, the distant crashing told her of the waterfall which was at the end of it's path. Soft moss and grass covered the area that she landed on, but down closer to the river edge there was a pebbly shore. Dawn stood, and in doing so she noticed the firm springiness of the ground beneath her feet.  
  
Tall trees grew high above her. Large and old, no doubt it would have taken several of her to wrap her arms around one of the trunks and link up once again. The leaves were fresh and young, full of youth despite the gnarled trunks that were twisted and bent that they grew off of. Ivy and other creeper plants had climbed the trees frame, adding their own unique pattern to the bark of the trees.  
  
Dead wood littered the floor around the base of the trunk, indicating that the fallen branches had become detached from their life source in a storm.  
  
A cloud passed over the sun, sending the forest into darkness. The shadows from the trees loomed over Dawn, becoming more and more aggressive. The river was eerily quiet, and not a leaf rustled. Dawn held her breath waiting to see what would happen.  
  
A few seconds later the cloud passed and once again the forest along with Dawn were bathed in a golden light. It was warm on her skin, providing a sense of security and safety. The tree's stretched in it's light, and silver and gold was reflected off the surface of the river as it rushed past her eager to be on it's way.  
  
Letting out the deep breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding, Dawn picked up her abandoned bag and slung it over her shoulder. Walking over to the shore of the river she bent down and looked at the reflection in the water.  
  
An unknown person stared back at her. The face was the same, but the eyes had changed, and they themselves had changed her face. Her eyes.her eyes were so unrecognizable. They were still wide, innocent looking, but deep in the sapphire depths there was darkness, death, despair. Three things that Dawn had a deep intimacy with.  
  
She splashed her hand in the water, destroying the image before her. Cupping her hands together she rinsed the grime off of her face. The cool water waking her up, Dawn began to think more clearly.  
  
'I'm going to need a place to camp the night. Food as well would be good, really should have bought more with me other than the sandwiches I picked up at the chemist.'  
  
But a safe place to camp and have a wash, where she could bath her wound took priority.  
  
Dawn looked over to the other side of the river desolately. Her eyes following the movement of the water and they paused, settling on a location further down the stream. It appeared to be some sort of cove. A few boulders lay further in shore, small shrubs were scattered around, mostly at the tree's bases, the trunks covered with moss. Some plants had gown over the hard boulders and had wound their stems tightly over the cracks, clinging to the hard rock.  
  
"Looks as good a place as any to start. I am so going to have a bath before I sleep tonight. Hello hygiene." She mumbled to herself as she started the journey to the sheltered inlet.  
  
She wove her trail through the tree's and plants of the forest, amazed at the beauty that was around her, often pausing to have a better look at the scenery as she passed.  
  
The sun was hot and high in the sky, no clouds left floating about to protect her from it's scorching heat. Her only source of protection in the trees that surrounded her.  
  
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Arriving at the bay, Dawn was able to get a better view of it.  
  
The water lapped quietly at the edge of the shore. It was calmer here, no longer fighting for dominance and control, not fighting for the power of choosing its direction. Towards the other side of the river, the rampant water still rushed by, not pausing for anything that was in it's way.  
  
The forest had stopped a little way back; about twenty yards back from the perimeter of the river, allowing for a small semi-circle of pebbles from the river bed.  
  
Dawn walked over to a big oak, and placed her bag down beside it. Taking her jacket off she threw it down and the ground and sat down on top of it. This would do for tonight she decided, although she would have to be on her way tomorrow. She'd need supplies; food especially presided foremost at the front of her mind.  
  
Dawn's stomach rumbled and she opened her pack and pulled out a crumpled brown grocery bag. She pulled out the pack of sandwiches and ate one of them, her hunger over-riding the sogginess of the bread, and the lip lettuce that resided within.  
  
Leaving the remaining sandwich at her side, Dawn ignored it. Her hunger was partially sated, and the sandwich would be of more use tomorrow, when she would be without food until she arrived at the nearest town, city, village, whatever you wanted to call it. She lent back against the great oak, waiting for the food to make it's way down to her stomach. Debating what she should do.  
  
She could feel the dirt and grime on her skin each time she moved, her clothes rubbing against the mud, causing it to flake off and crumble as she walked.  
  
She cool water looked enticing, and the fact that the forest seemed deserted didn't exactly help on her list of why she should not jump into the river for a wash.  
  
But she'd need a wash soon; she was smelly, covered in sweat and perspiration that had dried upon her skin. Covered in blood as well, she still hadn't washed it off since Glory had had put a blade into her stomach. She was mad at herself for losing the weapon, couldn't remember where she'd last had it. She'd intended to use it to kill Glory, pay her back for what she had done to her family. Pay Glory back for she had caused her to lose.  
  
Stumbling over a stray tree root that was raised out of the ground, Dawn dived head first into a patch of in dry blood, smell, and have got fruit juice in my hair. I'm taking a bloody bath berries. Their skins broke, and their red juices were released into her hair.  
  
"Oh no." She moaned. Trying to pick the split berries out of her hair. "This is the last straw! I don't care who's gonna be watching. I'm dirty, covered, even if it is in the river." She muttered angrily.  
  
Coming to her intended destination, she chucked her stuff down on to the ground. Reaching down into her bag she pulled out her shampoo, conditioner and soap and tossed them onto a ledge at the side of the river. 'Wow, slayer powers do have their perks after all.'  
  
Undressed, she grabbed a small dagger out of her coat, and dove into the water. Letting the water wash away the dirt, pain and hurt.  
  
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Dawn allowed her head to slip under the cool soothing water, and she ran her fingers through the separated strands of hair that was being pulled about in the current of the river, washing out any remaining conditioner.  
  
'Ahhhh.it's nice to be clean again.' She contemplated as she felt the water moving across the skin. Surfacing again in need of oxygen, Dawn inspected her hands. Not a speck of dirt remained, her skin taunt and smooth, only blemished by the small cuts and grazes that remained from her ordeal.  
  
Looking at her hands, she studied the lines on them. They were small, smaller than most peoples, but she liked them. Often she'd compare them to others, they were unique, no other pair in existence, and maybe that was why she liked them. She liked the way her fingers remained the same width along the whole of her finger, not becoming slimmer towards the nail. She admired the rounded tips of her fingers, the shiny nails that were clean, void of all dirt. Her hands could look graceful; make her seem childlike, yet they were powerful. Able to wield a weapon in battle, able to kill.  
  
She was proud of the minuet scar on the inside of her right thumb, where an over-enthusiastic puppy had chewed it. Adored her middle finger on her right hand, studied the way, at the end of the joint it leant towards the right, never having grown back straight after she'd broken it in one of the numerous battles that she been involved in.  
  
She ducked under the water again, and tilted her head back as she came up, the water pulling her hair back and away from her face. Wading through the river she pulled herself up on to a flat ledge, smooth from the years of abuse it had received from the river.  
  
She stuck out her leg, her toes pointing upwards towards the sky as she studied them. Small dark hairs barely visible at the moment, but they soon would be.  
  
'With all the things I remember to get at the chemist, and I forget a bloody razor.' She berated herself. Sighing she reached across and picked up the soap from the other bottles on the ridge. 'Unless.' she considered, eying the dagger by the shampoo.  
  
She picked it up.she could wash it afterwards.as long as she washed away every last remaining soap sud.it should be alright.Buffy would have had a fit if she could see her now. 'But she isn't' Dawn decided firmly. 'No Buffy, no lecture on the misuse of weapons.anyway.it's only until I next see Whistler.' She reasoned.  
  
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The boats glided swiftly along the river. Smoothly riding out their course and the current. All eight companions were silent, even the curious childlike hobbits were lost in their own thoughts as they traveled down the river.  
  
Legolas surveyed the riverbanks either side of them. Long had he known of the orcs on the east side, and now there was another shadow threatening to settle over them. The shadow had been growing, and only he could sense it, understand what it really felt like, the others.the others had no clue of it's malice and evilness; they could not comprehend what he could sense from it. They were still too young, too innocent at the moment. Even if they could sense it, their fears soon disappeared, leaving them to think that it was part of their imagination, they pushed it out of their minds, but he was unable to do that. The threat of it so great he could do little else but concentrate on it.  
  
The dark magic of the shadow had spread its discontent throughout the forest, whispering its malicious thoughts and feelings, persuading the tree's to harm those that seek shelter within.  
  
He inspected the river further ahead of his friends, watching for any unusual movement that might lead to the downfall of is comrades if not spotted quickly enough. And with his advance senses of sight and sound that duty fell to him.  
  
His eyes strained as he searched the rivers shore for any orcs, or any new mischief. His eyes pausing on the calm water ahead of them.  
  
He turned briefly back to Aragorn, about to tell him of an ideal mooring place for their small boats, soon it would be getting dark, and they would need to be settled before darkness fell. The hobbits were in need of a rest and food, no doubt they would soon start to complain that while the lembas was good food, it did not feel like they'd eaten a complete meal, and therefore, were still hungry. Camp would need to be set up, watches organized. At times like these it would be unsuitable for the fellowship not to be settled before dark.  
  
A glimpse of movement captured his attention out of the corner of his eye, out of instinct he pulled his bow from it's place across his back and notched an arrow in seconds. He pulled the string back, ready to release at what ever was lurking beneath the water. The water providing camouflage for the lurking figure.  
  
His blue irises only partially visible, as he squinted trying to get a better look at what was beneath the clear water. He would not be able to see clearly until it came up above the surface of the river.  
  
The warrior in him commanded that he release the arrow, let it fly towards his intended target, but something within himself told him to wait.  
  
He gasped as a dark head came up for air, arms came up and pushed the water back from her face. She was skinny, undernourished, that was clear from the pale skin, the hollows on her face. Eyes that matched the colour of the river looked straight at him and he held his breath thinking that she had seen him.  
  
'Don't be stupid.' The logical part of his mind told him. 'She is a human. She wouldn't be able to see the boats yet, let alone the occupants inside them.' Her eyes were large with disbelief, and inviting red lips parted in surprise. The figure shook her head, a small smile on her face as if she believed herself to imagining what she had just spotted.  
  
Slowly he slid the arrow back where it belonged and lowered his bow. He glanced across at the others and noticed that they were looking at him, waiting for him to tell them what he had seen.  
  
He shook his head at their silent questions, the hobbits curiosity dwindled as it became apparent that he was not going to tell them what he had seen, if it was dangerous he would have told them, and currently be releasing arrow after arrow towards his intended target.  
  
Boromir and Gimli both turned back to paddling their boats, and within 30 seconds only Aragorn was left studying the elf intently. For the first time in centuries Legolas was hardly aware of being watched, his attention captured by the woman further downstream.  
  
"We should set up camp over there." Legolas told Aragorn, motioning over to the next available area of shore suitable for pulling up their boats, and setting up camp. Aragorn nodded, curious as to what the elf was studying so intently.  
  
Legolas turned his attention back to the figure, 'I'm making sure that she's not a threat to the fellowship.' He told himself. 'She could be a spy, or another ally of Saurman or Sauron. I'm just doing my job.'  
  
His heart skipped a beat when he couldn't see her in the place where she had been moments before. She was now sitting up on the ledge that jutted out, her head bent in concentration as she ran a dagger along a far too smooth and a far too long leg. Pointing her leg towards the sky she ran her hands up and down it before putting it back down into the water. Dangling it over the ledge she swung then about playfully in the water as it passed by.  
  
Dark hair fell across her shoulders and her chest, sliding across her skin as she moved. The dark hair partly hiding her small delicate shoulders, and firm pert breasts. Now that she was out of the water he could see her rib cage poking out. Painfully visible in the sunlight that shone down on to her, that fell across her body.  
  
A wound on her midriff seized his attention and scrutiny, it hadn't yet healed and needed immediate attention, it was already infected, by any human standards an infected wound like that should have caused death by now, and if not death she would be ill with fever, some dark magic was at work here. In league with Saurman she must be, to still be alive.  
  
There was bruising around the cut, and other scars, pale white in colour were slashed across the skin, one under the other, right down beneath her bellybutton. Stopping a few inches above.  
  
A jolt in the boat brought him back to his companions and his assessment of her body was put on hold while the fellowship pulled the boats up to shore.  
  
"Why not carry on further downstream? We have a little while longer of daylight left yet, let us continue, or at the most have a break for the little ones before we continue our journey once again." Boromir voiced.  
  
Aragorn looked across to Legolas, waiting for him to oppose Boromir's suggestion, to give his reasons for stopping here tonight. But it was clear that something else had the elf's attention instead, as he stood by the edge of the river still gazing out across the rapids.  
  
"We stop here." Aragorn announced, leaving no room for any further discussion on the subject.  
  
"Plenty of time for a proper dinner then." Piped up Sam, as he started to unload his boat.  
  
The rest of the fellowship blended into the background as Legolas continued to watch the young woman in the water. 'Beautiful enough to be an elf, but her ears have rounded tips. Anyway what would an elf be doing all the way out here? A Nymph? Possibly employed by Saurman, after all what would a mortal be doing this far out in the wilderness? A nymph. She had to be a nymph, there's no other possibility.'  
  
She stilled as if she felt his uninvited eyes on her as she waded through the river on her way back to the shore. Slowly she turned again, and looked straight in his direction.  
  
Legolas moved away into the shade of the tree's, the elvish cloak allowing him to blend in with the colours. Still she looked at him. Her eyes narrowed, trying to pick him out from the shadows in which he stood. She was looking straight at him, he could feel her eyes on him and the small hairs at the back of his neck stood up on end as a tingle raced down his spine.  
  
Turning away she became submerged once again underneath the water rising quickly, her dark hair fell over her back, and she twisted it into a messy bun, before pushing the dagger down through the middle of it, holding it in place.  
  
A small smile played around the corners of his mouth at her display of the weapon, she could feel him watching her! He was pleased that he had had that effect on her. The brandishing of the weapon had been to show him that she was armed, and not helpless.  
  
Her back was to him now, and picking up some items on the ledge she moved across to the shore. A few wisps of hair had come lose and were stuck to the back of her neck. She possessed spirit, which was clear.  
  
The water was becoming shallower as she reached the shore, her back exposed to the sunlight, which highlighted the water drops randomly splattered on her back. It would have been perfectly smooth and creamy in complexion if it had not been for the scratches and bruises that covered her body.  
  
It was a shame, without the cuts and areas of brown and yellow she would be a truly exquisite creature. Rather a shame really that he'd never see her again, he contemplated.  
  
Small trails of water ran down over her buttocks and down her legs as she reached the shore. Bending over, she gave him a very nice view of her bum as she picked up a small towel, wrapping it around her body he could see that it wasn't really big enough and barely covered the tops of her thighs.  
  
She twisted around slightly, and looked over in his direction before flashing him smirk and disappearing into the forest. Legolas gave small start when she smirked over at him.  
  
'She knew. She knew that I was watching her, and she could see me the entire time. She knew!' Legolas's face clouded with anger as he realized. 'She nothing. Nothing but a common whore to smile and show herself off like that. She's nothing! I should have allowed the boats to carry on, to catch her naked and embarrass herself. She's in league with Saurman! How else can she stay safe with the orcs prowling the east side of the river shore? How could I have mistaken her for an elf? How could I have hoped that she was one of my own people? How could I have been attracted to her? How-'  
  
"Legolas. Legolas-"  
  
"Elf!" Came Gimli's bark, as he interrupted Aragorn who was trying to bring the blonde out of his thoughts.  
  
"What?" Legolas asked as he turned around from where he was looking out over the water.  
  
"Are you going to help set up camp or stand over there looking at nothing?" Gimli queried.  
  
"Why? Do you need some help?" Legolas teased grinning.  
  
"A Dwarf? Need help from an elf? Never!" Gimli responded, as the two of them settled into a companionable banter, while Legolas pushed the woman to the back of his mind.  
  
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She had felt his eyes on her the entire time she was washing, at first she thought it was paranoia.but when it hadn't gone away.she'd thought that her imagination was playing tricks on her, even when she had seen him the first time in the boat she had put it down to her imagination!  
  
Even if he was real how would he even be able to see her? By the time that his boat would have reached her she'd have been long gone, she'd have spotted them before they spotted her. 'Must be the slayer powers kicking in.'  
  
She could have sworn that she looked him straight in the eye, had seen him as clear as day, the long blonde hair, pointed ears, those mesmerizing blue eyes, and those lips.those lips that could promise so much with one glance, so soft, yet with a hidden power behind them. She could tell that hidden behind those clothes his body was lean, a weapon, made of muscle, firm and un-yielding, something that like any hunter could provide both pleasure and pain, which ever he chose.  
  
But always her gaze returned to the potency of his eyes. Blue, ice like at times, and yet they changed with his mood. Never staying one particular shade when he was watching her.  
  
She had no idea why she had done it. It wasn't something that she'd usually do. There was no reason why she had played with him as he watched her bathe, maybe it was because she couldn't see him, unless she really tried, but she could feel his eyes on her, exploring her body. Maybe it was because she'd never see him again.  
  
Or maybe it was the need to be wanted, the need to be desired after what Buffy and Brian had done to her. He'd slept with her sister just because she wouldn't sleep with him. Just because she hadn't felt ready to take that step into their relationship yet. They'd only been going out a few months; she'd never had a particular good opinion of most males, well no surprise there.  
  
She never saw her father, Giles had suggested killing her, Angel had turned evil after sleeping with Buffy and tried to kill her, she knew it wasn't really him.but it didn't really help with the trust issues, and even when he did come back, he'd left again, and he hadn't only left Buffy, he'd left her, the one he used to tease and call his little sister.  
  
Oz had slept with a fellow were-wolf, cheating on Willow in the process, Xander kissed Willow while dating Cordelia, and then when engaged to Anya had left her at the altar. Spike had tried to kill her on numerous occasions before he had his chip, and then when he was 'good' had tried to rape Buffy because she didn't love him, Riley had always called her kid, and had allowed vampires to feed off him and then given Buffy an ultimatum!  
  
Her first kiss was with a vampire, Ben had nearly killed her and even Wesley had left. Not to mention the other guys that had tried to kill either her or Buffy, take a look at Warren, Jonathan and Andrew for goodness sake!  
  
And maybe, just maybe because she didn't want to end up like Buffy. Buffy.Buffy whose soul mate slept with her and then turned evil, Buffy who slept with Parker and then got dumped the next day, Buffy who when with Captain Cardboard drove him to the vampires, Buffy who slept with Spike just because she wanted to feel something.  
  
It was no wonder that she had problems trusting males was it? And then when she took a blind leap of faith agrees to go on a date with a guy, only to find him in bed with her sister. Goddess, a therapist could earn a fortune from her!  
  
She still couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe that Buffy would sleep with her boyfriend.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"How could you?" Dawn whispered brokenly as she looked at her sister and boyfriend in bed together. "Buffy? How could you? Betrayal and anguish bubbled up inside her, trying to take over and burst out.  
  
"Dawn.oh Dawn.please Dawnie-" Buffy pleaded, holding up the covers trying to cover up her body. Brian merely looked a little uncomfortable, at being caught in the middle of their argument. No shame or sorrow crossed his face, only embarrassment at being caught red handed in the act.  
  
"Don't call me that!" Dawn yelped. "Don't call me that! Your not my sister!"  
  
"Dawn please listen to me-" Buffy implored.  
  
"No why should I?" Dawn yelled breaking in. "I trusted you! I confided in you! How could you Buffy?! You were one of the few people that I believed wouldn't try it on with him! The other potential I thought, yeah they would, but you? There were four females that I that I had utter trust in! Two of them are gay, one of them is married, pregnant and currently living in England, you were the forth one! Why damn-it why? Answer me!" She screamed at them.  
  
She wanted to break down in tears, cry and scream over the betrayal of her sister and boyfriend. But she wouldn't, she wouldn't let them see the hurt they had caused her. No! Now was the time for anger, later she would grieve, but not now.  
  
"It was a mistake Dawn,.we.we both were drunk and.and" Buffy tried to explain.  
  
"Drunk?! Drunk?!" Dawn laughed humorlessly. "Where are the bottles?! Where is the stench of alcohol?! Tell me." She shrieked before picking up the vase throwing it at the wall behind them. "Who long has it been going on?" She spat out.  
  
"Since the end of March." Buffy admitted, her face downcast in shame.  
  
"March? Since the end of March?" Dawn asked seemingly to herself, her voice quiet, so quiet that Buffy could barely hear her.  
  
"Yes, but Dawn please you have to understand, I never meant for it to happen, I never wanted it to happen, I never wanted to hurt you-" Buffy started as she walked across to Dawn, the overthrow wrapped around her naked body. She reached out to touch Dawn, but Dawn moved away before she could, backing out of the doorway into the hallway.  
  
"The end of March. You only meet him on the 19th, Kennedy's birthday. So tell me, how long was it before you were fucking? 3 days? One week? Two weeks? Or maybe it was the same night?! What's the matter Brian? Every time you got frustrated trying to sleep with me you'd come over here and screw my sister?  
  
Really what did it? What made her so bloody irresistible? Was she an easy lay? Was it the fact that she was my sister, or maybe because of the superior strength and battle skills? The fact that she was a super-hero? Did you get her to dress up in a 'wonder woman' outfit? Y'know before you shagged her?" Bile rose up at the back of Dawn's throat as she realized how long they had been cheating on her.  
  
"So, once and for all, after you meet, how long before you were acting like a bitch in heat Buffy?" Dawn shouted at her.  
  
"D-dawn? How can you speak to me like that? You're m-my s-sister" Buffy stammered.  
  
"I don't know? How could you sleep with my ex-boyfriend? You're my supposed to be my sister."  
  
"Ex-boyfriend, Dawn we haven't spli-" Brian interjected.  
  
"Yes Brian." Dawn turned on him, "Ex-boyfriend, I just haven't got around to telling you yet. But don't worry, I'm sure Buffy would be more than happy to be a shoulder to cry on, in fact I'm sure that she would be willing to do a whole lot more than that!  
  
You disgust me! Both of you!" Dawn hissed venomously before spitting on the ground in front of Buffy's feet. "Stay away from me, I never want to see you ever again. You're my sister Buffy, how could you?" Dawn chocked before rushing along the hallway and down the stairs.  
  
"Dawn! Dawn?" Buffy called out, following her out as she pulled the quilt more tightly against her skin. "Dawn where are you going? Come back! We need to talk about this-"  
  
Dawn whirled round; angry at what Buffy had done to her, and the way she was now turning the blame on her.  
  
"I'm going somewhere you can't find me! There is nothing to talk about. I hope your both very happy in the future, you deserve each other. You were my sister, I thought I could trust you; obviously I was very sadly mistaken. Stay away from me." She warned Buffy.  
  
"Dawn, you can't walk away from this!" Buffy told her.  
  
"Watch me," was the cool reply.  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy screeched, grabbing her by the arm as she made her way to the front door.  
  
In that second the little left of Dawn's self control snapped, and whizzing round she balled her hand up into a fist, she struck Buffy, the force of her punch and the shock of it throwing Buffy back onto the wooden floor of the hallway.  
  
Buffy looked up at her sister from where she was sprawled out on the floor. She lifted her hand and gently probed the spot on her jaw where Dawn had just hit here.  
  
Dawn looked at them. For the first time really looked at them. Her ex- boyfriend was standing a the top of the stairs, a shallow selfish man, who cared nothing for others, and her sister a harden embittered woman, who blamed fate for the losses in her life, never once thinking that her own actions might have once been the cause for her heart-break.  
  
"Stay. Away. From. Me." Dawn punctuated clearly, before slamming the door behind her on her way out.  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
And yet, less than forty-two hours later she was tied to the top of another tower, once again by Glory and watching a battle rage below. And she'd forgiven Buffy. Because that was what you were meant to do right? Forgive those that you'd be leaving behind. Let them have peace, let them believe that you love them  
  
Buffy had taught her the most important lesson in life. That if you're betrayed once, it is their fault, if they betray you twice, it is yours. Buffy always hurt her the most, when all she had tried to do was to be their for her. She had made the mistake of trusting too easily once, it would not happen again.  
  
She wanted to see Buffy again, wanted them to get on with their lives, realize that they should not be pulled apart by some man. She did want Buffy in her life, but that was because she wanted family, she didn't want to be left alone. But even if Buffy did become a permanent feature in her life (once she got it back) she would not trust her completely again. Just the same as she would never trust another man again.  
  
She was stupid to tease him! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Well it wouldn't happen again. 'Really, he probably thinks that I'm no better than some common slut.' Why had she grinned at him? Why, why, why? She should have covered up straight away once she had spotted him. She should have ignored the way he ran his eyes over her body, should have blocked out the chills that ran up and down her spine.she should have ignored him, should have moved to another part of the river where he couldn't spy on her.  
  
She should of.she should have, she should of what? It was too late to worry about it now, any way, it's not as if she'd see him again was it? Nope. She wouldn't see him again so there was no reason to fret over it was there?  
  
No, she'd forget all about the hot blonde in the boat with the pointed ears, she would, she really, really would. After all, it was just her luck to fall for some one that wasn't human. So the simple solution to this was to forget him, she'd put him out of her mind like she did with her nightmares of Glory, The First, the night her mother had visited her, she forget, she'd forget them all.  
  
Her skin was now dry, and after pulling on her underwear she searched through the first aid kit for some antiseptic cream, and some bandages for the wound on her stomach.  
  
Dropping the towel on the ground she covered any small remaining cuts and scraps with the cream before inspecting the wound on her stomach. It was closing faster than she would have thought. But then again, many of her smaller scratches had healed completely, and the larger ones were now the only ones that she had left, and they were half their original size.  
  
Her fingers traveled over the thin pale scars that were slightly raised. They'd always remain, despite the lotions, the patches, the creams that she had used they hadn't faded. Unless you looked closely at her stomach you'd never know they were there, but she knew they were. Had always felt self- conscious when in the presence of other people. Only Willow had noticed that she'd stopped wearing tops that revealed her stomach, even the smallest part of her midriff she had started to cover up.  
  
Cautiously she spread the cream around the edge of the cut, the scab that had finally formed was still soft from her wash in the water. She wound the bandage tightly around, trying to protect it from the clothes that would rub at it later on.  
  
Pulling the rest of her clothes on that she had traveled over in, she packed her bag. The man, or whatever she had seen had been traveling with companions; it wouldn't be safe to stay where she was at the moment, not if he knew where she was.  
  
'See that was good, I'm detaching myself from any thoughts other than the threat that he might be.that's good, right? The only threat that he could now be is that of a predator with his weapons, and if his body was his weapon.that would be bad, which is precisely why you are moving.' She reminded herself. 'Because I might not be able to resist, strike that. I might not want to resist- ok. No more thoughts going in that direction. They stop right here, right now.'  
  
She slipped on her wrist guard, and strapped her sword on to her side. Her axe would have to stay in her pack, she wouldn't be using it as a first choice weapon anyway, but it was always handy having one about, you never knew when you might have to slice and dice and a sword didn't always get the job done, too often had they shattered in the past.  
  
The sword that she was currently using had been an 18th birthday present from Faith and Robin, her name was engraved on the mantle of the sword, along with a couple of sapphires encrusted around the engravings. Faith had gone ahead and gotten it for her, despite what Buffy had said about it being an ir-responsible gift, Robin had countered that, booking her some lessons in weaponry when she had visited them in England. She'd kept it, had put up a good fight against Buffy, but still she was only allowed to use it with either hers or Willow's supervision. Or at least that was what Buffy had believed.  
  
Slipping the dagger she'd previously had in her hair to its place in her boot, she grabbed a hair band, and pulled her hair up off her face. She didn't want it to be snagging on every-other branch while she was walking.  
  
Tossing the bits she had removed from her bag back into, it she set off once again into the forest. Only the smell of strawberries and mint from her shampoo remained, signaling that she had stopped there briefly.  
  
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Dawn looked up and saw in front of her once again the large head, carved out from stone, perched on the large mound of soil and leaves. Moss grew over the stone, partially hiding it, but still the strong features of the face still shone through.  
  
She'd been walking for a while. At first she had made good progress, but of late she had been trailing around in circles, unable to break the cycle that she was currently caught in. Dawn sighed and plopped herself down on the ground, leaning against the smooth, hard surface of the rock. She rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance. She was getting nowhere. Had been walking around in circles for the past three hours. She could feel a headache starting to form. 'Why didn't I pick up any aspirin?' She berated herself as she massaged her temples.  
  
She felt her eye lids dropping as the warm sun shone down on her, the small breeze caressing her face, lulling her to sleep. 'Just a few minutes nap to rest.just a few minutes.' Her breathing relaxed, and her breathing became lighter, and dropped in to a steady rhythm as she drifted off to sleep.  
  
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A/N: Should Boromir live or die in the next chapter? Let me know what you think! Review? Please? Come on people it's Christmas! 


	7. Demons

AN: Hi all! Here's the new chapter, sorry that its kinda short, but I still haven't made up my mind about the hole Boromir situation.I've got an even number of votes for him to live/die, and while I was previously leaning towards letting him live, I'm not to sure what I would do with him, probably send him off to Gondor or something.anyway let me know what you think, if you want him to live then say so, otherwise I'll kill him off as both Tolkien and PJ do. Apologies once more for the shortness, lateness, and no doubt the numerous mistakes in this chapter, I think that its kinda bare. BIG THANKYOU to Delphine Pryde, divad relffehs, Pheonix Evans, WillowAnnHarris, Bitch Goddess and Charmedfanatic3000 for reviewing, I hope that you let me know what you think of this chapter.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
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It was the tremors that raced beneath the ground, which caused Dawn to stir, taking her away from the peaceful slumber from which she was in. She could feel something coming; the air was thick with tension, with anticipation. A shadow seemed to spread throughout the trees, chasing the light away.  
  
She could hear the far off thud of feet, which became louder and louder the longer she listened. It sounded familiar, like the uber vampires down in the hellmouth a few years ago.  
  
'Oh please don't let there be uber vamps coming by right now!'  
  
'Don't be stupid!' The second part of her mind rationalized. 'It's the middle of the day!'  
  
A large roar rang out, a roar of cheers, like the roar at a football game, when a team scores, and the crowd chant, stamping their feet against the concrete floor as they cheer. 'Something's happen.' Dawn realized.  
  
The hollow feeling in her stomach put her on edge. Something was coming. Closing her eyes, Dawn concentrated on steadying her breathing and focused her senses. She could hear them, their heavy breathing, the harsh grunts of effort as they crossed the land at a fast pace. They were coming from the east, her spider senses told her as she reached out. The growl of orders vibrated through the earth forcing Dawn to sit up suddenly, her frame stiff with tension, despite the adrenaline that fueled her body.  
  
Whatever was coming was covering the ground fast, she could hear them clearly, their weapons and armor clanking as they moved. Their stench reached her nose and Dawn screwed her face up in disgust. 'Could recognize that smell anywhere, really, what does that say about my social life? Yes I'm not going to have one in this dimension either, what are chances of this world having demons as well?' Dawn contemplated. 'Maybe they don't have shrimp.'  
  
The air was humming, and Dawn could have sworn that she could see the tree's rattling with the vibrations given off by the demons at their feet jerked down into the ground as they traveled. She could feel the revulsion of the earth as their feet slammed down into the rich soil, contaminating it, poisoning it, causing a greater harm each time the orcs put their filthy feet on the surface, grinding the grass down.  
  
The distant noises of battle cut through the air, her memory recognizing them instantly. She could pick out the singing of the bow and arrow, the slices of swords and knives, the thick whistling of an axe, the dull thud as dead bodies hit the soil. Shouting registered in her mind, although she couldn't make out the entirety of what they were saying, but they were deep, men's voices. 'Wonder if it's the hot blonde from the river, damn hormones! Now is not the time!' She scolded her self.  
  
The fighting was still waging in the distant back ground, but the snarling of the demons warned her that they were coming closer to her supposed place of rest.  
  
Snatching up her bag, Dawn rolled around behind one of the trees, effectively hiding herself from view as she mentally ran through the number of weapons that she carried on her body at the moment. Her sword nudging her leg as she moved, the small dagger in her boot, and her wrist guard on her left arm.  
  
Pressing her back against the tree, she left her bag where it was, there was no time to try and get some more weapons, she have to improvise. Her eyes wide, she watched with amazement as what appeared to be two children rushed past her, calling to each other with what appeared to be excitement. 'Are they mad? They're going to get themselves killed! Ok, maybe Buffy did have a point abut me not going patrolling after all.' She admitted guiltily.  
  
"-I know, run!" One of the children said to the other as they ran past her, not spotting Dawn in her dark clothing as she flattened her body up against the tree, trying to remain inconspicuous.  
  
Following the two children, streams of demons poured out from behind the trees, leaping over stray rocks and boulder, quickly gaining ground on the two children they were chasing.  
  
Moving from her hiding place, Dawn picked up her pace, trying to catch up with the children before the demons did. But she'd been spotted, the demons picking up on her scent before she'd even gotten close enough to the children to help protect them.  
  
Pumping her legs harder, she tried in vain to reach the children as the first few demons started to close in around them. Her speed started to pick up, but unfortunately she caught the demons attention in her bid to get to the children.  
  
Pulling her sword free she swung it into a demon that was getting a little to close to her for comfort. Pulling out her sword out Dawn moved directly into the path of the demons, cutting them down as they raced past her with swift graceful movements, not pausing to see the bodies fall to the ground, littering the forest floor as their blood seeped out of their wounds, staining the green grass, discoloring the small stems with its hideous black slime.  
  
Their necks thick, and their armor broad, Dawn continued to hack away at the demons. Bu they weren't entirely focused on Dawn, bypassing her as they rushed to get to the children, only those that were in her path challenged her, and Dawn was constantly back-tracking as she fought, the children becoming further and further away from her.  
  
Energy coursed through her blood stream as she ducked a blade that was being swung at her head, dropping to the ground she allowed her instincts to take over, and took a demons legs out from underneath it, and flipping back on to her feet, Dawn took her sword and buried it in the demons throat.  
  
A loud hollow, bellowing sound ripped through the forest, and Dawn swiveled around on hearing the sound again. She barely had time to look at who was making the noise, before she was once more under attack.  
  
The man was a skilled warrior, upturning his opponents, killing them with a passion, while still continuing to blow the horn that hung at his hip. The children stood behind him, small swords at the ready, but no demons got past the warrior.  
  
Dawn followed their lead, and began to retreat down towards them as they backed away, the warrior constantly calling out on the horn.  
  
Dead demons lay all around her, and Dawn could no longer drop down onto her feet and kick the legs out from underneath any demons due to the carcasses scattered about. Making the ground slippery with their blood.  
  
The sound of the battle was deafening, but adrenaline raced through her veins, and a power that she had never felt before existed in her body, and she was feeling light headed with the new emotions existing, and she started to understand the invincibility that Buffy felt, the thrill of the kill while slaying. She understood the addiction Faith had felt, and her compassion for the rouge slayer and what she had been through deepened.  
  
Despite the numbers of demons that were being slewed, there was still no change in the floods of demons that ran past her; whatever they were here for, she definitely wasn't it. But this only increased Dawn's anxiety and unease.  
  
Yet another demon tried to pass her, and spinning around she stepped out of reach from its blade, and stepped up her attack. Parrying a blow the demon made at her head, Dawn pushed the blade away, knocking it out of the demons grasp, twisting her body, she brought her foot up in a high kick, and caught the demons face with the heel of her boot, stunning it further before she raised her sword once again, and neatly sliced off the demons head.  
  
The air grew denser yet, and the entire forest seemed to be screaming out at her. The world around Dawn became quiet and lifting her head, she looked up at the top of the valley, twirling out of a demons grip and burying her weapon in its stomach, sliding the blade up underneath its armor. Pulling it free she watched awe as the leader of the demons stood tall and proud, its face full of twisted malice and mirth, his cracked leathery lips peeling open to reveal a mouth rotten teeth, and Dawn fancied that she could smell its breath from she was standing.  
  
Still she fought, yet another demon meeting its end on the edge of her sword. Dawn retreated back, trying to reach the children and the warrior protecting them as now they stood in one spot, seemingly surrounded by demons.  
  
She was almost there. 'Just a few feet more.' she told herself.  
  
Spinning, her sword meet the back of a demons neck, the blade lodging itself between the bones, and Dawn tried to pull it free as the demon feel, she pulled once again, but she wasn't paying attention.  
  
Her thoughts focused on the demon that had reached for his bow, and put an arrow in place, the bowstring being stretched to its limits as it was pulled back, groaning in protest and the demon smirked, eyeing his prey.  
  
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A/N: Let me know about Boromir, and as always R&R! Thank you! 


	8. Angels

A/N: Thank you to Divad relffehs, Darklight, OrionTheHunter, Angus Hardie, Ped, charmedfanatic3000, Cassie-bear01, and Scilen for all you reviews and advice and I hope that you approve of this chapter! Here it is, enjoy!  
  
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Dawn glanced across at the warrior, watching him parry a blow with a demon, not seeing the danger he was in from the demon at the top of the bank.  
  
Acting on instinct Dawn pressed her foot down at the base of the demons neck, and with both hands gave a final yank, and pulled the sword free. Such was the force of her pull; Dan stumbled back, toppling over into a demon that running by, knocking him onto a sword of a fellow demon. Not heeding the injuries she received in her rush to reach him, 'Just a couple of steps closer..'  
  
The sound of a familiar whistle cut through the air as the arrow was released. Pushing off from the balls of her feet, Dawn sent her body crashing into the warrior, driving her arms around his waist, she tackled him to the ground knocking the both of them over, landing on top of him as they fell to the ground.  
  
As her arms closed in around the warrior, Dawn heard the distant thud of an arrow hitting its target, and pain exploded in her shoulder, racing up and down her spine, and the world went silent around her save the sound of her body meeting his as they feel to the ground, her sword slipping from her grasp as she fell.  
  
Not staying still, Dawn craned her head around to look at her shoulder, seeing the arrow jutting out, grinding against the bone as she moved to get a better look at her injury. Her breathing came in short labored gasps as shock hit her body, driving away the pain, numbing her senses as if she had just been dumped in a bath of ice-cold water.  
  
Dawn pulled back, sliding off of the body beneath her, aware of the precarious situation about them. Reaching for her sword that had landed by her feet, Dawn looked the warrior the eye. Disbelief, shock, and gratitude shone from the brown orbs, with a tortured look haunting the depths of his eyes lurking in his soul.  
  
Turning away, Dawn stood up from her position on her knees, and parried a blow made from an advancing demon behind her, the demon allowed his blade to slide off of hers, and it lunged at her once again more forcefully, Dawn stopped the blade from reaching her body, gritting her teeth as her shoulder screamed in protest as she raised her arms once more bringing her sword up into the demons stomach. The metal tip of the arrow grinded against muscle and bone as she fought to defend herself.  
  
From the corner of her eye she could see the warrior fighting another demon, not pausing as he moved onto his next victim, not having any mercy for the creatures that surrounded them. 'Just as well really.' Dawn observed as they were out numbered six or seven too one.  
  
The demon that had once stood at the top of the hill was no longer there, and Dawn looked around frantically trying to find it. Berating herself mentally for losing sight of one of the biggest dangers on the battlefield. How many times had Buffy told, 'Ignore the little guys, only take them if they get in your way, go straight for the leader, when he falls the minions panic, easy pickings.'  
  
Another demon was coming at her with its weapon held high in the air, the demon intent on bringing it down on her made Dawn forget the leader briefly as she ducked out of the way, tripping over one of the stray demon bodies that littered the ground.  
  
Dawn screamed as she fell on her back, part of the arrow snapping, the rest of it being driven completely through her shoulder, the tip of the arrow coming out clean the other side, poking through her leather coat, and the silver metal glinting in the sunlight as she looked down at it.  
  
Rolling her weight off of her injured shoulder and away from the sword that was being brought down from above her head, Dawn reached for the dagger that was in her boot, pulling it free, with a flick of her wrist Dawn released it, watching it hit the demon between the eyes with a satisfied smack.  
  
The sound of another arrow being released pulled Dawn's attention back over to the warrior, and watched in horror as the second arrow found its mark, hitting him on the left side of his stomach, she watched as he fell to his knees swaying slightly, and watched as he looked over at the two children who stood a little away from him, no longer throwing stones at the advancing demons as they regarded the warrior. 'Their father possibly.'  
  
Willing herself to her feet, Dawn took her sword into left hand, unable to move her right shoulder, the arrow locking it into place.  
  
Swinging the blade in her left hand, Dawn made several clumsy attacks on the demons as they passed her, only succeeding in injuring them as they passed her by, not bothered by the pain that she was causing them. A foot flew out at her, and Dawn moved trying to dodge the kick, but her body stiff with exhaustion and lack of food didn't respond quickly enough, and the foot found its mark, coming into contact with her head, pushing her to the ground once more, the side of her face hitting the ground.  
  
Through squinted eyes she watched the warrior, willing him to go on, to protect himself and the children, not to fall to those around him. The arrow was prominent as it stuck out of his stomach, she watched in despair as he turned, about to take on another demon, when an arrow struck him in the chest, in just above his heart.  
  
The warrior paused, planting his feet further apart to steady himself as he blocked yet another blow and upturning the orc, driving his sword deep into the demons back through armor, bone and muscle. Drawing it out of the demon, he raised it again, stopping yet another blade from finding its mark, knocking the demon over its head with the mantle of his sword, stopping his actions momentarily as he watched the demon slump to the ground.  
  
His body was pushed back a few steps as a third arrow flew true, landing between the other two arrows protruding from his body. Dark patched of blood stained his clothes, and mud was smeared across his forehead, perspiration dripping from his brow and hair.  
  
The warrior's legs gave way with shock and pain, and he swayed on his knees. The look of death and defeat engraved onto his noble face, and Dawn knew from experience that the warrior wouldn't rise again. The realization giving her the push she needed Dawn pulled herself up using a tree trunk near her, and raised her sword, bringing it down into another demon.  
  
The world around the warrior and the children stilled, with nothing happening, their bodies and faces frozen with fear and pain. Carving a pathway through the demons to the dying warrior, Dawn heard the battle cries go up from the children just as she reached the warrior.  
  
Kneeling down next to him Dawn ignored the demons running past them, they no longer cared for a dying man, and the girl at his side. Putting a hand either side of her face, Dawn locked eyes with him.  
  
"Do not fear death. You will be rewarded for your sacrifice." She whispered to him, her voice full of passion as she remembered what Buffy had spoken of. His eyes glanced towards the children as they rushed forwards, weapons being swung high above their heads as they moved towards the couple.  
  
"I'll do what I can to protect them." Dawn promised, she stood, and made her first assault on a demon reaching for one of the children, slicing its head off as punishment.  
  
The leader moved slowly closer to the battle growling orders to the demons surrounding him. "Grab the halflings! Take the woman! She shall make good sport for the long journey back!" It's beady eyes running over Dawn's body, glinting slyly as she ducked a sword being swung at her head, not taking any notice of the demon shouting orders.  
  
Dawn struggled as demons swarmed around her, taking notice of their master's orders. Hands reached out for her, squeezing the air out of her lungs as they closed around her throat and body, the scab on her stomach cracking as a fist rammed into it, the familiar gush of blood traveling the length of her body. Still Dawn was defiant, fighting with anything possible, using her left arm, feet, teeth to keep them away from her.  
  
Breaking free, Dawn tried to move towards the children who had been caught by the demons, her only warning a sharp pain from the back of her head, bright lights dancing before her eyes as she collapsed on the ground, not able to fight the darkness taking over her sight. She was fainting, she knew, she was familiar with the feeling. The limbs that felt like lead, a failing vision, and that detached swimming feeling as you feel your body fall to the ground.  
  
All around her she could hear the screams and cries of the children, the beating of feet against the forest floor, and the ragged breaths of the fallen warrior who remained unmoved in his position, unable to help, the left side of his body riddled with arrows.  
  
The world swam out of her sight as darkness overtook her, her mind not registering the hands that pulled her up, slinging her lifeless body over its shoulder as it ran, demons following behind not waiting for their master as he sauntered down to the fallen warrior.  
  
The Uruk-hai approached Boromir, and stood in front of him, waiting for Boromir to lift his head, and look upon the face of his killer. Boromir lifted his face, and viewed the uruk-hai as if seeing one of their race for the first time. There was a chilling gleam in his eyes, and Boromir recalled the words that the uruk-hai had spoken earlier of the women-nay- angel being used for sport. For she was an angel, what else could she possibly have been?  
  
Boromir watched as the uruk-hai pulled an arrow out of its quiver, and notched it in his bow, drawing the string back slowly, the bow creaking as it did so. He tried to take another breath, trying to prepare himself for his certain death. "Do not fear death. You will be rewarded for your sacrifice." The words of the angel ran through his mind, oh how he wished it was so. How could he have peace when he had failed? He had failed his father, his brother, his people, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, the fellowship. No, he deserved no peace, he deserved eternal torment for his actions. He had failed. Resigning himself to his fate, Boromir waited, not showing the uruk- hai any emotions as it toyed with him.  
  
A flash of dark clothing leapt at the uruk-hai, knocking the bow and arrow out of its hands, and Aragorn brought his sword up to defend himself as the uruk-hai thrust its blade at him. With a show of strength, the uruk-hai pushed Aragorn's sword off of his, knocking Aragorn away, pinning him to a tree by his neck using its shield that it hurled towards the ranger.  
  
The uruk-hai advanced quickly, sliding its scimitar along the metal shield, as Aragorn struggled to get free, his bloody hand slipping off of the metal. Aragorn felt some of the trunk behind him split as he tried to loosen the shield, ducking down underneath it as the uruk-hai's blade became lodged in the tree. His head protected by the shield.  
  
Aragorn didn't pause, taking advantage of the uruk-hai's position by punching the uruk-hai it in its stomach using all his body weight. The uruk- hai barely moved, instead bringing its elbow down into Aragorn's back, knocking him forward towards the ground, and Aragorn rolled over a few times before staying still. Pain sweeping through his body.  
  
With a roar the uruk-hai lifted its scimitar above its head, and brought it down into the ground, where Aragorn had been less than a second earlier. Bringing his leg up, Aragorn kicked out at the uruk-hai, and knocked its weapon away, forcing the uruk-hai to straighten up, and using the uruk- hai's movement to his advantage, Aragorn pulled the knife from its sheath, and drove it deep into the uruk-hai's thigh.  
  
The uruk-hai growled in anger, and punched Aragorn in the face as he leant upwards, knocking the ranger to the ground once again. The uruk-hai towered over Aragorn, and pulled him up by his shoulders, head-butting him in the face, before pushing him away with another punch.  
  
Aragorn rolled away with the force of the blow, and leant forward on his knees, blood smeared around his mouth from the uruk-hai's ministrations, and he struggled to shake off the dazed confusion that clouded his mind and regain focus. The uruk-hai bent over, and pulled the knife free from its leg, and brought it up to his mouth. Sadistically he ran his tongue along the blade, tasting his own blood on the metal before releasing it in Aragorn's direction.  
  
Batting his knife away with his sword, Aragorn attacked with a renewed vigor. Their blades clashed, and beams of light darted in and out of the trees as blades moved in the sunlight. Driving the uruk-hai back in seven strokes, Aragorn didn't hesitate in cutting off its arm just above the elbow. The uruk-hai growled at him as Aragorn drove his sword into its stomach.  
  
The uruk-hai laughed at Aragorn's attempt to cause him pain, and enclosed its fist around the mantle of the sword, pulling it deeper into its body as he stepped forward, leaning over Aragorn who looked sickened at the sight. Not wanting to prolong the fight, Aragorn sharply jerked the sword out of the uruk-hai's belly, swinging it up and lopping its head off.  
  
Breathing heavily, Aragorn watched with grim satisfaction as the body of the uurk-hai fell to the ground, and moved no more apart from the occasional spasms, its severed head lying a few feet away.  
  
An image of Boromir rose in Aragorn's mind and he turned, stumbling away from the dead uruk-hai and limping over to Boromir, who lay propped up against a tree, his face pale, the light in his eyes starting to fade. Blood soaked his tunic, centering around the three arrows, and Aragorn looked down at his chest in dismay.  
  
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Legolas ran in the direction that Aragorn had disappeared off in after hearing the horn of Gondor call for aid. Between him and Gimli they had killed the remaining uruk-hai and orc, leaving none alive.  
  
He ran swiftly, his feet moving nimbly in and out of the dead bodies as he crossed the ground, elements of battle all around him, un-miss-able, and undeniable. He hoped that Boromir was alive and unharmed; it would be a blow to the fellowship is another of the walkers fell like Gandalf.  
  
He paused at the top of a bank, surprised at the carnage that one person could create, a few stray bodies lay about his feet, but the numbers grew, and masses of uruk-hai covered the forest floor further down the bank at the bottom.  
  
His elvish eyesight could not miss the full extent of Boromir's wounds from where he was standing, he observed as Aragorn went to remove one that Boromir told him to leave it. They all knew that it was helpless, that he would not survive even if they removed the arrows.  
  
Boromir's strangled voice reached his sensitive ears, and Legolas focused his attention on what he was saying to Aragorn.  
  
"I never told her thank you."  
  
"Who?" Aragorn asked urgently.  
  
'Who?' Legolas's mind repeated. 'Who had been with their friend when they hadn't? Who had seen him fall? Where was she now?'  
  
"The angel-" Boromir chocked, his words stopping abruptly as he coughed, frothy blood pooling in the corner of his mouth. "S-she took t-t-the first arrow meant for me." He paused again and tried to regain his breath. "She was so pure, s-so beautiful, a face to rival the Evenstar and Galadriel, they-they took her, f-for sport." Boromir was racked again with a coughing fit.  
  
A chilling fear ran through Legolas's body as he through of the women in the river, her innocent eyes, the long luscious dark strands of hair, and the scars marring her pale skin. 'It can't be her, it just can't be.' His mind repeated in disbelief. 'What would she be doing here? She was several leagues down the river.'  
  
"I failed-"  
  
"You did not fail." Aragorn insisted.  
  
"I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king." Boromir told Aragorn as his breathing became slower, and irregular, before stopping completely, a look of peace washing over his face.  
  
Gimli had arrived behind him to see Boromir pass, and turned his face away, not wanting the elf to see his sorrow, and the tears that threatened to fill his eyes. But Legolas knew he would not tease his over this, it would be despicable of him to tease the dwarf over a friend's death.  
  
Death was a part of life for those that were not elves, he knew it happened, but still after all these years was unsure of how to deal with the emotions flying around his body. It was confusing, no elf truly died, going either to the Halls of Mandos, to be re-born, or crossing the seas to Valinor.  
  
Aragorn bowed his head in an act of respect, touching his hand to his forehead, lips, before kissing the top of Boromir's head, gently closing the open eyes. 'I have failed. The fellowship has failed with out Gandalf to lead us. Frodo has carried on alone to the eastern shore. Merry and Pippin captured by uruk-hai. Gandalf dead. Boromir dead. Only three of us remain together, the fellowship breaking within hours us shoring the boats.'  
  
Aragorn's thoughts returned back to the 'angel' that Boromir had spoken of. Had she been an angel of death, trying to reassure the valiant warrior as he fell? There are no women around her, no human settlements near the forest, the woods of Lothlórien feared by those that did not understand.  
  
Legolas moved down slowly towards Aragorn, hesitant about approaching Aragorn. Turmoil was written all across his face, and he appeared deep in thought. He looked down at the bodies as he passed, determining how each of them had died, trying to find a pattern of what had happened amongst that ruin.  
  
As his eyes scanned over the uruk-hai, his attention flicked over one lying on its back, a dagger lodged between its eyes. He looked away carrying on before his eyes swiveled back to the dead uruk-hai. That knife..  
  
"He must have been hallucinating, there could not have been a woman here." Aragorn thought aloud.  
  
A gasp reached his ears, and he brought his head up sharply, his eyes searching out the area from which the sound had come from. His eyes landed on Legolas who was crouched over a dead uruk-hai, pulling a dagger out of its head. He held it up in a trembling hand, stared at it with disbelief, bringing it up closer to his face, his eyes, as if he was being deceived.  
  
"She was here.." Legolas whispered. A sinking feeling entered his stomach as he looked at the dagger. This was the one he had seen. The one belonging to the woman in the river. The one she had worn in her hair. He fell back in shock, how had she come to be here? What was she doing here?  
  
'they-they took her, f-for sport' It was her, she was the one that rivaled the Evenstar and Galadriel. She was the one that seemed so pure, so innocent, and the uruk-hai were going to take that all from her. His heart felt heavy, and he felt a fear he had never known spread through his body.  
  
But why should he be so worried about a woman he had never met? Had only seen for a few minutes? Who knew what she was? What she was doing? Where she was from? Why should he be so concerned about her? It did not make sense.  
  
If she had been a fellow elf, a friend of his them he would be able to understand the need, the want, the drive to protect her, but she was none of these things. Just a human that he had spotted, one that filled his thoughts from the moment he had seen her. Why? He was over two thousand years old; he should be able to understand his own emotions by now!  
  
"Legolas." Aragorn called. "What have you found?"  
  
"There was a woman here. A human one, or at least that is what I thought her to be."  
  
"Don't be stupid laddie! A human woman kill a uruk-hai with a dagger? A blow like that? A dwarf woman maybe, but no human female would have such strength!" Gimli announced.  
  
Legolas turned to Aragorn. "This is hers." He told him, lifting the dagger up for his to see. "She was here." He insisted, his eyes pleading for Aragorn to believe him.  
  
"But there are no settlements nearby." Aragorn mentioned. "Have you seen this woman?"  
  
Legolas nodded. "Further downstream. I was not sure of what she was, or her intentions. It was why I requested that we stopped where we did."  
  
"A spy! Does Saurman really think that she would not be spotted by us as we traveled to Mordor?" Gimli spoke gruffly, anger clear in his voice. "That she would be able to deceive us?"  
  
"She was upstream Gimli. She could not have known our course." Aragorn intervened as he saw a spark of anger flash through Legolas's eyes.  
  
"The river only flows in one direction! Spies! Spies could have told her where we were, and in what direction we were heading. She could have been laying in wait! Ready to disarm us, stun us as we prepared to pass her-"  
  
"Gimli that is enough!" Legolas spoke clearly; his voice hard, and deathly quiet, his voice brooking no room for argument.  
  
"Now is no the time for arguing over an unknown woman!" Aragorn cut in. "Come we have to bury Boromir."  
  
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A/N: Sorry if I disappointed anyone by killing him off, but I was unsure of what to do with him, and I think my earlier hesitation was that I felt sorry for him! Sorry, I know that the battle scene wasn't completely how it happened, but I wanted to change some of it to get Dawn in. Review and let me know what you think, thanks. 


	9. Hobbits

A/N: A big sorry to those of you thathave been waiting for so long for this chapter. I'm sure you won't want ot bother reading my excuses so I won't bother giving any. This is the latest chapter, hope you like it! Sorry for the wait once again. Lily.

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The world around her bounced up and down, side to side, pain shot through her body as Dawn was jarred by sharp jerky motions. Her arms and shoulders ached painfully as with each movement they took the full force of her weight.

Trying to ignore the nauseous feeling in her stomach, Dawn struggled to keep her breathing steady, at the moment she didn't know where she was or who she was with. The familiar smell of earth, blood, death and decay entered her nostrils, and despite her attempts to remain asleep to who ever was observing her, Dawn sharply pulled her nose away from the disgusting smell.

As she moved the body beneath her stumbled, and a bright light flashed in front of Dawn's eyes as her her arms were almost yanked out of their sockets. A small whimper was released but ignored by those around her.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Dawn waited for the pain to recede before blearily attempting to open her eyes again. Turning her head slightly Dawn was greeted with a horde of demons.

She'd seen them before…the battle….images ran through her head, images of the fallen warrior, of the two innocent children, the clash of metal, sword on sword, the near silent whistle of arrows as they flew gracefully through the air, the small thud as they hit their intended target, and the small pain filled gasp of realisation as you look down at the piece of wood sticking out of your body in disbelief, unable to comprehend the fact that you'd been hit, the cold numbing that spreads through out your limbs. Unable to believe that that was it. That you would die because a small piece of wood, no thicker than a finger.

The growling around her way getting louder, the snarls, the pounding of numerous feet, the clanking of metal. It was…it was overwhelming…so much…there was so much going on, so much happening…her head was spinning, spinning at an impossible pace, like when she'd gotten drunk and couldn't stand up because the world wouldn't stay still…it had been funny then, funny that her legs wouldn't co-operate with what her mind was telling then, funny that she felt detached, untouchable as if she was far above the world, as if her soul was floating high above her, running free with the stars…now those emotions and feelings weren't funny. They were scary, she couldn't breathe, couldn't see…couldn't see nothing but the overwhelming darkness that wanted to engulf her, that wanted to separate her from reality, she felt as if as if she was falling, being dragged down, drowning…

'Oh god…' Dawn thought as she frantically willed her lungs to work, she didn't want to stay her, she didn't belong, she wasn't part of the darkness. 'That's not really true…' a dark shadow in the recess of her mind whispered. The voice so persuasive, so silky, so believable. 'You came from the darkness. That's what those monks were trying to tell you all those years ago. You came from hell. Came from eternal torture, eternal pain, eternal evil…such power can never be used for good…who would want you when your soul is stained with black magic's, stained with the deaths of slayers, friends, family…what makes you think that you can full fill your destiny…how could you? The weakling of the family…the burden that others have to bear because you can't carry yourself…the slayers sister….as if you could be as great as Buffy…' The voice was quietly mocking, laughing at her as she tried to deny the things it was telling her, sneered at her feeble attempts to justify herself. 'You are nothing.' It told her. 'And you shall remain as nothing. Nothing but the key. Nothing but evil. Nothing but darkness and the doom of others.'

'No! No no no no no no!' The rational part of her mind screamed and it carried on, becoming louder and louder, far more intensified than she'd though possible. The screams and shouts of her self denial were the last thing she heard as she slipped into darkness once more.

The second time Dawn awoke, there was no time to become accustomed to her surrounding.

Her head was pulled backwards, and her mouth forced open and liquid was poured down her throat. Vile and coarse it burnt its path down her throat even as she struggled against it, succeeding only in the liquid sloshing over her face and down her neck, a punch rewarding her for her efforts.

Even by the time her body was dropped once again on the ground, she could feel disgusting stuff travelling it's way throughout her body, the pain was sharp and demanding as it knitting skin back together and poured energy into her muscles.

She rolled over, curling up into a foetal position, panting heavily at the effect of whatever they had poured down her throat.

A hefty kick aimed at her kidneys winded her even further, and when Dawn was able to breathe again she gave a low groan. "Get up." A voice growled, barely understandable through the demons mouth.

A round of laughter went round as it pulled Dawn to her feet; she wavered, her legs feeling like jelly despite the fire that raced up and down them. The two children where just in front of her so small and so vulnerable.

"Get moving." A voice with a higher pitch ordered. A sharp crack rang out, soon followed by another as a whip fell onto Dawn's back making her jump and surge forward.

That was the pattern for what (she figured out later) the next two days signified.

The whip would crack down on her back, her ass, her legs, and occasionally at her heels. The demons, who referred to each other as Orcs and Urak-Hai liked to see her wince and bleed, liked to see the pain they caused her with each flip of the whip. The clothing covering her back soon disappeared, becoming tattered rags instead. It was something of a game for them, to see how fast they make her run.

Their game only broken when they forced more 'medicine' down her throat.

The time past in something of a distant haze for Dawn. Her mind feeling so far from her body and current situation. Something was coming. The feeling surrounded her like a dark cloud, it was in the air, in the earth.

The sky was once again becoming dark, and the frantic pace of the company of demons was beginning to slow, breathing was heavy all around her, even the whip didn't fall so often as it had before.

There was rebellion in the ranks, and Dawn hoped that it would end for the demons as it had for the French Noblemen and the King and his queen Marie Antoinette.

Dawn was placed with the children, not children, but hobbit's as she later found out. She was bound as they were, thick rope wrapped around her wrists and ankles.

Concern was plainly read on their features as they peered down at her.

"Who are you?" One of them asked.

"Dawn."

"Dawn." Said the other, awe in his voice. "It's a sign Pip! It must be! She's marks the beginning of a new dawn!"

"Don't be silly Merry. It's obviously a warning. Look at her. She's all red. A red dawn means death, murder and mayhem!"

"It's a name." Dawn cut in. "You can't tell anything from a name. A title now that's sometimes different, a nickname, that different again. But you can never tell anything from a name. Never."

They regarded her with wide eyes. "I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck."

"And I'm Peregrin Took."

Dawn nodded at them. "I'm sorry for your loss." How many times had she said those words? "Your father fought bravely." Even if he was stupid enough to take his children out with him while he was hunting demons.

"Our father?" Pip asked. "My father's not dead. Neither Merry's."

"But the man…?"

"You speak of Boromir." Merry informed her.

It was only then that Dawn noticed that they were older than their size suggested. "Midgets? Oh I would love to see Anya's reaction. I bet there would be bunny rabbits in the forest too."

"We're not midgets."

"We're hobbits." They told her.

"Hobbits?"

Both looked affronted. "You've never heard of hobbits?" Pippin asked in wonder.

Dawn shook her head, staring at them levelly. She was about to answer when the groaning coming from the forest cut her off. They turned their heads to the edges of the forest, where the orcs and urak-hai were cutting limbs and branches from the trees.

The two hobbits began to speak quietly, but Dawn tuned out. Her body was turned and sore, and it was without warning that she slipped off to sleep.

When she awoke it was due to the insistent shaking and prodding from Pippin and Merry.

A fight was going on a couple of yards away, and within seconds it was all over,

The grunts and growls telling her what had happened, the loser was being devoured.

Her hearing instantly picked up the sound of rumbling hoof beats; the sound of blade's being drawn and oddly enough, as the battle began the sound of singing.

She struggled futilely against the bonds that held her trapped before she noticed the axe that had fallen in the battle. Rubbing the rope over the edge of the axe she cut through enough of the rope so she was able to break the constraints. A second later and the rope from her ankles followed.

The battle was continuing on around her, and it was only through luck that she hadn't yet been harmed. Picking up the axe, she looked up, debating on the safest route out of the middle of the battle.

And as she looked up, Dawn was rewarded with the satisfying view of seeing a rider swoop down on the leader of the Urak-hai and slice his head off.

She crawled over to one of the hobbits who was about to get flattened by one of the armoured riders and pulled him out of the way, she carried on, grabbing the other and carrying them into the forest.

"Run!" Dawn told them, setting them down on their feet. She glanced over her shoulder; saw the battle that was still being waged. The firelight and the moon illuminating the figures, catching the armour of those fighting.

Taking off after the hobbits Dawn followed them into the forest. It wasn't long before she knew that they were being tracked, and soon enough two orc's emerged from the bushes, heading straight for them.

"To the trees!" Dawn hollered at the two hobbit's, who although running as fast as they could, didn't seem to be making much progress.

The orc's were closing in fast on them, and Dawn knew that it wouldn't be long before the two little hobbit's, who seemed to attract trouble, much like she used to, would soon be caught.

'Strike that.' Dawn thought as her body was tackled to the ground by one of the demons. 'Still do!'

The other orc carried on past her and pursing the hobbit's, who were facing a dilemma, and were unsure what to do. Should they continue on running and get into the trees? Or should they go back to Dawn and try to help her?

"Get into the bloody tree's!" Dawn all but growled at the hobbits as they advanced towards her despite the orc separating them.

The orc climbed up further over her, and Dawn didn't hesitate as she kicked him off, the sound of material ripping and a slight breeze of air across her stomach made her look down and frown. 'Great! Not only do I lose my bags, but my current clothing is torn to shreds as well. That orc was _so_ going to pay!'

Distracted momentarily by her exposed stomach, and then again by checking to see if the hobbit's had made it to safety in one of the many tree's, the orc was allowed to gather it's bearings before leering up at it's pray once again.

The sound of a battle being waged out on the grassy plain's sounded through the night air, but it distracted no-one. Dawn too intent on killing her demon, said demon intent on killing her, Merry and Pippin trying to scale the largest tree Dawn had ever seen, with the smaller, skinner orc tried to follow them, acting strangely like a dog who had chased it's quarry up a tree, and then was unable to follow and had to remain at the bottom, sniping and barking while it's quarry remained safely up above it.

Merry and Pippin were not as safe as Dawn would like to believe whoever, and as soon as she'd turned back to her own opponent, the orc managed to get a foothold in the tree's trunk and followed up the after the harmless hobbit's. With a shout of outrage, Dawn's more immediate problem charged towards her, saliva dripping from its thickly deformed mouth as it anticipated the kill and the taste of fresh women flesh.

But suddenly the ground trembled; the orc stumbled to the ground, and Dawn herself was hard put to keep her balance.

A loud booming sound rang out, filling the air all around her, and Dawn tried to convince herself that the trees didn't creak and groan answering back to the bellow, that they didn't quake with fear at the sound of this 'thing'.

Picking up the knife the orc had dropped as he fell, she buried into the back of its neck.

Not pausing to pay anymore attention to the orc with a broken neck she ran at the tree that was moving. It's branches flaying around as it held the two hobbit's up closer to the roof of the forest.

A large piece of wood that looked like a foot came down heavily and landed on the orc, squashing the demon that had been trying to reach Merry and Pippin earlier.

"Run Dawn!" Pippin shouted.

But she had no chance as the walking tree took a few steps towards her and scooped her up so that she was as trapped as the two hobbits.

"Little orcs, Bu-la-rum." The tree spoke, its voice vibrating the leaves on its own body and those closest to it on the other tree's.

"It's talking Merry, the tree is talking."

"Tree?!? I am no tree. I am an Ent."

"What the heck is an Ent?" Dawn questioned.

It was Merry that answered her question. "A tree herder. A shepherd of the forest."

"Don't talk to it Merry, don't encourage it". Pippin warned him.

"Treebeard some call me." The ent told them.

"And whose side are you on?" Pippin asked not holding back any of his curiosity.

"Side? I am nobody's side, because nobody's on my side, little orc. Nobody cares for the woods anymore."

"Hey!" Dawn protested at being called an orc.

"We're not orcs, we're hobbits." Treebeard was told by Merry. Dawn cleared her throat, and Merry hastily included her, "And Dawn."

"Hobbits? Never heard of a hobbit before. Sounds like orc mischief to me. And what is a 'Dawn'?"

"Dawn is me! Human!" 'For the time being…' She thought morosely. 'Or am I human now?'

The ents grip tightened on the two hobbits and Dawn, and the three of them squirmed trying to wriggle out of his strong grasp.

"They come with fire, they come with axes, gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking, burning. Destroyers and usurpers. Curse them!"

"No, you don't understand." Merry protested. "We're hobbits, halflings, shire-folk. And Dawn! Who's of the race of men!"

But Treebeard did not pay their assurances any notice**. "**Maybe you are, and maybe you aren't. The white wizard will know."

"The white wizard?" Pippin whispered.

"Saruman." Merry confirmed the two hobbits worst fears.

"Take it that's not good them guy's?" Dawn asked weakly.

Her question was left unanswered by the two hobbits and the three of them were unceremoniously dropped to the ground by the giant ent.

A rush of bright light reached their eyes, forcing them to close their eyes or to look away from the sight that was before them. As the light dimmed, Dawn was the first too look up, while the hobbit's tried to gather their wit's.

The air seemed to get stuck in her lungs and her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the figure in front of her. Could it be? Was it possible? Maybe! Oh maybe!

The figure dressed in white turned his own eyes towards Dawn's figure, and she saw them widen in surprise as he recognized the key's features. The feature's of one who had been to hell and back with him.

"Dawn?" He asked, his mouth testing out the word, trying to put a name to the face in front of him. "Dawn?" He asked again.

"Gandalf?" She whispered in disbelief. "Gandalf!" Dawn cried, joy evident in her voice at being reunited with her friend. "It is you! It is!" Racing towards him, she nearly knocked them both over as she wrapped the wizard in a bone crushing hug that he returned.

"My dear girl, glad am I to see you again." Gandalf told her.

"Right back at ya!" Dawn replied.

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A/N: I'm warning you now that the original plot for this story has changed a fair bit from ym original intention's, but I hope that you'll keep reading, I'll try to update fairly reguarly. Thankyou to all those that have reviewed.


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